Life in Technicolor
by TNT-DynaMITE
Summary: What had the ability to tear the Scott Family apart? Love. What has the ability to bring this torn family back together? Love. This is Lucas Scott's quest to reunite his shattered family. Family IS one of nature's masterpieces. NH/BL AU Chapter Ten Is Up!
1. The Man Who Would Be King

Ello all! I've been feeling a little inspired, so I decided I would write a little fanfiction and post it here. It's called **Life In Technicolor**. Please let me know what you think and if you would like me to continue!

It's completely **AU**. Its based off of one of my favorite Bollywood movies. This isn't merely a **BL/NH** story; all of our favorite One Tree Hill characters will make appearances throughout.

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**Chapter One - The Man Who Would Be King**

_Oh love don't let me go_

_Won't you take me where the streetlights glow?_

_I could hear it coming_

_I could hear the sirens sound_

_Now my feet won't touch the ground_

"There are only thirty seconds left on the clock folks, and the Blue Devils are still behind by five points. And it looks like Coach K is using up the final time out of the game. Hopefully our Blue Devils still have some of that blue and white magic left in them!" Marvin 'Mouth' McFadden was sitting on the edge of his seat alongside with every other person in Cameron Indoor Stadium. It was the final game before a long summer break for the Duke University students. And this game was like no other; it was the last game against the Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina, so the importance of winning was tenfold.

Mouth, as he was called by most, was the basketball commentator for Duke University. He had been doing this almost all of his life and had found a true passion in it. The light brown haired, McFadden, looked out at the crowd surrounding the shiny basketball court. This was it. This was exactly where he was supposed to be and exactly what he wanted to be doing. The energy in the stadium alone was enough to power at least ten Suns. Duke blue and white were everywhere and the attention of every Duke student was at the small huddle of Blue Devils basketball players.

Mouth looked on as Coach K held the attention of all his players, and he, like the rest of the crowd, was trying to find out what the Blue Devils had up their sleeve. Within seconds, the cluster of jerseys tightened up and a loud "BLUE DEVILS" was heard, signaling the end of the time out and the beginning of a very crucial thirty seconds for every student at Duke University.

"And that's the end of the time out. If you're a Duke student and aren't watching this game, let me tell you, you're cursed to have a horrible summer. All eyes are focused on the starting five Blue Devils; the most talented group of basketball players Duke has ever seen. Here we go! Henderson passes the ball to Singler as he dribbles it up the court and the ball goes to Jake Jagielski! Jagielski has been on a ROLL! And he goes for the three pointer, and HE MAKES IT. DUKE SCORES DUKE SCORES! Now we're only down by two points and the Tar Heels have the ball. Lawson, who has been UNC's lead scorer tonight dribbles the ball up the court, but THERE'S A STEAL! Jordan Davidson with the steal! And he quickly passes it to number three, Lucas Scott!"

Lucas Scott. Number three for the Duke University Blue Devils. Junior. As the blonde haired basketball player caught the ball in his hands, the world seemed to slow down. The cries and cheers of the inhabitants of the stadium seemed to drown themselves out. All Lucas Eugene Scott knew was that there were ten seconds left on the clock and he was standing behind the three point mark. It was up to him to make this shot and win the game. As Lucas prepared to take the shot an all too familiar voice came into his head.

_"If you want to be someone in life, if you want to achieve something, if you want to win something, always listen to your heart. And you'll see, you'll be able to cross any hurdle, all your problems will vanish, victory will be yours. Only yours."_

And as Lucas Scott released the basketball from his hands sending it towards the basket, the entire crowd stood up in anticipation of the results, including Mouth McFadden. All the players sitting on the sidelines stood up, and all the players on the court turned their attention to the destination of the basketball. All eyes were turned to Lucas Scott, the blonde haired blue eyed basketball player. And Lucas' eyes were on the ball that had just left his hands.

As the clock wound down five, four….

The basketball found itself getting closer and closer to the net.

Three, two…

Until the ball finally made its way inside the basketball net.

One.

One three point shot from Lucas Scott was all it took to win the game.

"DUKE WINS! DUKE WINS! LUCAS SCOTT HAS JUST WON THE GAME FOR DUKE! HE IS KING!" Mouth couldn't contain his excitement, like the rest of the crowd and joined all of Duke University in the celebration that was taking place in the middle of the basketball court.

Lucas Scott found himself surrounded by his basketball team. Everyone giving him high fives and hugs. Coach K giving him a congratulatory pat on the back. The entire stadium was pouring towards him.

"We did it!" Lucas said to his teammate and good friend Jake Jagielski.

"Nah man! That was all you! You made that shot!" Jake yelled back while giving Lucas a big hug.

"Luke! Luke! THAT WAS GREAT!" Mouth fought his way through the crowd trying to find his way closer to his oldest and dearest friend. He finally reached Lucas and gave him a warm hug as well. In that moment, not only was Mouth filled with immense pride for his school, but also a pride for his friend Lucas Scott. The right man had taken the final shot of this crucial game.

Lucas Scott stood at the center of the world in that moment. All attention on him, and he truly was king. If there was heaven on earth, this was it for Lucas. He had won the game for his team and he was surrounded by some of the most important people in his life: his teammates and his friends. Lucas knew that this was going to be one of the moments of his life that he would remember forever. One of the moments he would tell his children and his grandchildren about, and one of the moments that he believed defined him as a person. But for a moment that held so much importance for twenty year old Lucas Scott, the three most important people in his life seemed to be absent. His mother. His father. His brother.

_Now my feet won't touch the ground_

_Now my head won't stop_

_You wait a lifetime to be found_

_Now my feet won't touch the ground._

_

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Thank you so much for reading. Please let me know what you think, any feedback would be doubly appreciated!


	2. Postcards From Far Away

**Chapter Two – Postcards From Far Away**

_Looks good when he when he walks,_

_He is the subject of their talk_

_He would be hard to chase, but good to catch_

_And he could change the world with his hands behind his back_

"Hey Mom, Dad,

I'm sure you heard the news, but I'm going to be obnoxious and repeat it in this e-mail: WE WON WE WON! I know you probably had your eyes glued to the television the entire time Dad, and Mom, I'm sure you were sitting right there with him. I wish you guys could have been there cheering me on from the bleachers, but I know how busy you both are. Dad, the team gave me the game ball! Isn't that fantastic? How's the business going? I'm sure it's in tip top shape with you heading it, Dad. And Mom, how's the café? Let me tell you I've missing your pies like no other. I just wanted to let you know this is my last e-mail to you guys before I come back home for summer break. I just finished taking my last final, and I'm in the midst of packing. I can't wait to see you both!

Love,

Lucas

PS: Before I head home I'll be heading over to Colonial Heights!"

Lucas Scott tried to read over the e-mail to his parents one last time before he sent it, but the hustle and bustle of the entire college population moving out was making it quite the hard distraction. Like any other college male, this Scott boy wasn't too keen on e-mailing his parents or even calling them, but he had to oblige his parents with e-mails at least once in awhile. Lucas loved his parents, Dan and Karen Scott, but he was still a college kid. And what college kid actually WANTED to talk to his or her parents? Precisely.

Clicking the send button on the screen, Lucas stood up from his seat and returned to packing his life away. This was one of the few times he really hated Duke University. The first would be move in day, which was basically a race to the death to move in as quickly as possible before all the parties started, and the second would be move out day, which was basically a race to the death to pack up as quickly as possible before all the end of the year parties started.

"Are you still packing?" Lucas looked up from folding a pair of jeans to see Mouth McFadden waltzing into his room and plopping onto Lucas' roommate's bed. Lucas didn't even acknowledge the question and continued folding his jeans and placing them into his suitcase.

"Talk about procrastination…"

"Shut up" Lucas said as he threw a pair of socks in the direction of Mouth's head. "I've been busy with all this basketball stuff. The entire school has been on a basketball kick. We had dinner with the president of the school and then breakfast with the dean. There have been press conferences, newspaper interviews, and then all the parties celebrating our win."

"And you King Scott are in the center of it all" Mouth responded as he relaxed even more so onto the bed he was currently sitting on.

"Stop calling me that!" Lucas wasn't one for attention. In this way, Lucas was more like his mother than his father. Sure he loved basketball and yeah he was pretty amazing at it, but he hated all the spotlight and celebrity status it brought to him. Everyone close to him knew that Lucas Scott's true passion was writing.

"Alright alright. How's the packing coming, slacker?" Mouth moved his head once again so he wouldn't be hit with yet another pair of socks being thrown his way.

"I just need to empty a few more of these drawers and I'll be good."

"Well, good. Do you think you'll be ready in time for Lindsay's party tonight? Everyone's calling it the party to end all parties." Jake Jagielski, Lucas's roommate, had just walked in and taken a seat in the chair Lucas had previously occupied while typing up his e-mail.

"Lindsay Strauss?" Mouth's ears had perked up at the sound of a final shindig.

"Yeah, that's the one. Mouth, you're obviously invited. Luke? You're coming, right?"

"Man, sorry Jake. I can't." Lucas gave Jake an apologetic look as he continued to fold some tee shirts into his suitcase.

"Wait why not?" Jake gave Lucas a confused look. Jake, like Lucas, wasn't a big fan of the spotlight either, but he knew that Lucas Scott wouldn't miss the last party of the year, especially when it was Lindsay's party. Lindsay Strauss was one of Lucas' good friends at Duke University, and if she was throwing a party in his honor, he had to attend. Jake was a talented basketball player, like Lucas, but while Lucas' heart was with writing, Jake's heart was with music.

"Well, you see I ha----"

"Hey Luke, whose this a picture of?" Before Lucas could finish explaining his reasons for being absent from the biggest party of the year, Mouth had gotten his hands on one of the framed photos on Lucas' desk.

"Let me see that" Jake got a hold of the picture before Lucas could and Mouth and Jake continued to inspect it.

The picture was a simple one. There were only two subjects. The picture had photographed a sideways hug between two males. One of them was a short chubby blonde haired boy who looked to be about ten years of age give or take a year. The other character was a tall raven haired blue eyed boy and he looked to be about eighteen years of age. The one thing that Jake and Mouth gathered from looking at the picture was that the people in the picture really loved each other and were happy around each other.

"That's me and my older brother" Lucas finally answered.

"This short fat dude right here that's you?" Jake questioned pointing to a short fat dude.

Lucas nodded his head, amused. Even he found it hard to believe that at one point he looked like that. "Yep, that's me. I'm probably about ten in that picture and that's my older brother, Nathan, who's probably about seventeen maybe eighteen."

"You're unrecognizable, Luke!" Mouth was completely astonished. The boy in the picture did not look like the boy standing in front of him.

"Yeah, I guess I lost a little bit of weight" Lucas responded grabbing the picture from out of Mouth's hand and placing it in his suitcase.

"A little bit? Yeah, okay. You were at least fifty pounds heavier in that picture, Luke! At least." Jake couldn't get the idea out of his head that Lucas Scott wasn't always the tall and handsome basketball player he is today. Not that Jake actually thought he was handsome… Oh you get the drift!

"And what's this about a brother? You've barely mentioned this Nathan…" Now that Mouth had gotten used to the idea that Lucas used to be the fat kid, he was more interested in this long lost brother Lucas had just introduced.

"Uh, yeah Nathan's my brother. I, well, we…..we…..I haven't seen him for a while now….It's complicated." Lucas seemed to be looking anywhere but at Jake or Mouth. There was obviously some discomfort when Lucas started talking about his brother, Nathan Scott.

Jake and Mouth, noticing that this was something Lucas really didn't want to talk about decided it would be best to drop the subject and move onto something else. They looked at each other with a look of agreement.

"So Luke, why is it again that you won't be coming to Lindsay's party tonight?" Jake tried his best to make his question sound as nonchalant as possible.

Lucas welcomed the distraction from thoughts of his brother and replied with a smile on his face, "I'm visiting my two girlfriends in Colonial Heights in Virginia."

"Girlfriends? In Virginia? When did you get girlfriends all the way in Virginia?" Jake questioned.

"I'm visiting my two grandmothers, Grand-Ma May and Nana Deirdre."

_Something's missing  
And I don't know how to fix it  
Something's missing  
And I don't know what it is  
No I don't know what it is  
At all_


	3. The Truth About Heaven

**Chapter Three – The Truth About Heaven**

_And the coastline is quiet.  
While we're quietly losing control.  
And we're silent but sure  
We invented the cure  
That will wash out my memories_

May Scott and Deirdre Roe sat quietly on May Scott's patio overlooking the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. There was moisture in the air from the waves colliding as they reached the horizon of the sand and the water. The sun was high in the sky, making it around noon and lunchtime as Deirdre and May sat sipping their tea and eating some cookies. There was a comfortable silence in the air, as the two elderly women took in their surroundings. It was a beautiful day out. All that was needed was a thin sweater and a person was set.

May took another sip of her tea as another wave crashed onto the beach and as she gave Deirdre a small smile. Deirdre Roe had come to the Scott beach house in Colonial Heights for the weekend in order to spend some much needed time with Lucas Scott, their grandson. It had become a tradition ever since Lucas had enrolled into Duke University. Before he would return home to Tree Hill and stay with his parents, he would visit his maternal and paternal grandmothers in Virginia. It was a ritual practiced during every school break. As Deirdre Roe was thinking of the grandson she would see in a matter of minutes, May Scott's mind was on her other grandson; the grandson she hadn't heard from in ten years.

May Scott possessed a picture of Lucas and Nathan Scott, the same one Lucas, himself, owned. It was a picture that she treasured, the most recent picture of her two grandsons together. Nathan with his arm around a young Lucas with both of their smiles radiating off the picture warming May's heart. She was currently staring at that picture which was framed and was sitting on top of the fireplace inside her home. She could see the picture clearly through the glass doors that separated the rest of the house from the patio. Deirdre followed May's line of vision and her eyes fell upon the picture, as well. It was around this time that both May and Deirdre missed Nathan the most. It only seemed natural that when they would see Lucas they would see Nathan as well. Every time Lucas would come to see them, they both subconsciously expected Nathan to follow, but for ten years that had not happened.

"May, are you looking at that photograph and crying again?" Deirdre tried her best to lighten the mood. She knew how hard Nathan's absence hit May.

"I wasn't crying, May….."

"Oh, of course you weren't crying. Why would you be crying?" Deirdre continued hoping to make May smile. "Well of course that's the truth, alongside the other truth that you are actually quite young. Twenty three now right May?" Mrs. Roe tried to say this with the straightest face possible, but was finding it difficult.

"Oh stop joking around with me, Deirdre" May said with a hint of a smile on her face.

"What's the matter, May?"

"Its days like these I seem to remember Nathan the most" May Scott started to explain.

"I miss him a lot too" Deirdre answered. Both women staring off into space for a moment seeing an image of their smiling grandson.

"I know, but these past few days, I've been missing him a lot more than usual. I've become so restless with memories of him. I'm so worried…" Deirdre responded despondently.

"Whats wrong, May?"

"Look, Deirdre, we've lived our full lives----"

Deirdre coughed in order to interrupt May, "Excuse me, May, you might have lived a long life but I have my fingers crossed for a long life ahead of me…."

May Scott ignored Deirdre's ramblings and continued, "Whatever you say, Dee, but I still have to reach heaven. What am I supposed to do when I reach God? What face am I supposed to show Him? How am I supposed to explain that I couldn't unite my scattered family? How am I supposed to live with the fact that I couldn't bring my Nathan, my grandson, home?"

"Oh, May you having nothing to worry about."

"What?"

"You're not going to meet God."

"And why is that, Dee?"

"Well, God doesn't meet anyone in hell, May. Everyone knows that." Deirdre responded with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, Dee, again with the jokes."

"Hey sweethearts…" Both May and Deirdre turned their attention to the voice that just called to them.

"Lucas!" Deirdre hurriedly got up from her seat and walked over to Lucas Scott, her grandson.

Lucas embraced his Nana in a hug, "Nana!"

"Oh my grandson! I've missed you so much!" Deirdre was happy for the distraction from thoughts of Nathan and welcomed Lucas with open arms.

"Look at you Nana; you're looking quite sexy" Lucas said as he winked at his grandmother, joking with her as he usually did.

"I know, everyone's been telling me the same thing. I'm getting quite tired of it." Deirdre responded happily.

"Lucas, come see your Grand-Ma May!" May Scott called out to her grandson.

"How are you Grand-Ma?" Lucas said as he quickly walked over and sat next to May and give her a warm embrace.

"Oh, I'm good now that you're here honey. You've gotten so thin, dear" May said as she inspected Lucas' face.

"Well, May, we can't all be strong and healthy like you" Deirdre joked as she sat down beside her grandson, making a grandmother sandwich for Lucas to be in between.

"Oh Lucas, she's been teasing me all day like this" May said as she give her grandson another hug. Being around Lucas made her miss Nathan even more, and as she hugged Luke, she couldn't help but let the tears pour out of her eyes.

Lucas noticed immediately that his Grand-Ma had started weeping softly. He turned to his Nana, "Why is she crying?"

"Is she crying?"

Lucas nodded his head affirmatively.

"Oh thank god, I get worried when she doesn't cry!" Deirdre responded.

"Oh stop it, you two!" Lucas said as he looked between his Grand-Ma May and his Nana Deirdre, putting his arms around both his grandmothers.

* * *

"May, you need to stop crying." Deirdre said softly. It was late at night now. Lucas had gone to bed, and Deirdre Roe and May Scott found themselves sitting parallel one another around the kitchen table. Neither of them could fall asleep. "Please don't cry, May, please?" Deirdre was trying her hardest to stay strong for May, but she could feel herself reaching her breaking point, as well. "Look May, if Lucas sees that you're crying he's going to start asking questions, and we don't have answers to those questions."

"What do I do, Dee? What can I do?" May looked up at Deirdre, distressed. "Every time I look at Lucas I just see Nathan. I can't help it. Dee, do you think we should tell Lucas everything? I think he deserves to know."

Deirdre was immediately against the idea, "You know we can't do that, May. Dan warned us against it. He specifically told us to not tell Lucas a word. Lucas wasn't even home when Nathan left for good. He doesn't know about anything that happened or why it happened. He just doesn't. "

"I think we should just tell him everything. It's what my heart is telling me to do." May replied, adamantly.

"Where do we even begin? What do we even tell him? Luke doesn't even know that Nathan isn't Dan and Karen's son. He doesn't even know that Dan and Karen adopted Nathan." Deirdre began to say, but was stopped by a gasp coming out of May Scott's mouth. Deirdre followed May's line of vision and saw Lucas Scott standing before them.

Lucas stood there tears beginning to form in his eyes. He had heard everything his grandmothers were saying. He looked back and forth between his father's mother and his mother's mother shock and awe evident in his eyes and his facial expression. Everything that Lucas had once known to be true was shattered. He could feel his entire world breaking down around him. His brother, wasn't really his brother? Nathan wasn't really a Scott? Nathan had left home? All of these questions and more were running through Lucas Scott's head. For all of these years he had stood silent in the face of his brother's absence from his life. He hadn't asked questions and he stayed obedient in remaining oblivious to what was going on within his family. But now, with the truth sitting right in front of him, in the form of his grandmothers. Lucas needed to know.

"Tell me everything."

"Nathan was only two days old when Dan and Karen brought him home" May began. Lucas was now sitting around the kitchen table as well in between May and Deirdre listening intently to what they had to say. Nothing could be heard except the voices of the two elderly women. "His tiny footsteps found a place not only in the Scott home, but in all of our hearts" May continued, as memories of Nathan's first years as a Scott running around the Scott mansion poured into her mind. "Nathan became Karen's lifeline, and Dan's dreams were fulfilled. They both had the son they had always wanted." May lovingly looked at Lucas as she continued, "And then seven years later when you were born, it seemed as if our family was finally complete. The Scott family was finally perfect. I remember it as if it was yesterday, you fought destiny in order to be born, Lucas. All the doctors had said it was impossible for Karen to become pregnant and for Dan and Karen to have biological children. That's the reason they adopted in the first place, but you did it Lucas. You were the miracle of the Scott family and I always knew you would be our strength. You would be this family's strength."

It was all too much information for Lucas to take in at once, but he sat there and listened, "Did…did…Nathan….did he know that he was adopted?"

Deirdre decided to answer this question, "Nathan was eight years old when he found out." As was the case for May, Deirdre was also having the memories of the day that Nathan found out he was adopted. "From that day forward, Dan made a promise to all of us that the fact that Nathan was adopted would never be mentioned again. Nathan was Dan and Karen's son and that was all that mattered. Nathan was our son, this family's eldest son. This was a truth that could not be changed and would not be changed. His adoption was no longer of importance. We were to never speak of it again."

"But it was brought up and it was mentioned again," May said solemnly. "It happened so suddenly and it came out of nowhere. And that was Nathan's last summer with us, his last summer…..with us. It would be the last time any of us saw Nathan."

_This glass house is burning down_

_You'll light the match, I'll stick around_

_I'll give you everything you want_

_And wish the worst of what I was_

_Tonight won't make a difference_


	4. Hometown Glory

**Chapter Four – Hometown Glory**

_I used to roll the dice  
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes  
Listen as the crowd would sing  
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"_

_"But it was brought up and it was mentioned again," May said solemnly. "It happened so suddenly and it came out of nowhere. And that was Nathan's last summer with us, his last summer…..with us. It would be the last time any of us saw Nathan."_

**10 Years Earlier**

**Tree Hill, North Carolina**

The Scott mansion was one of majestic beauty. It towered over all of Tree Hill, and most said that it towered over most of North Carolina. There was an old saying that the sun never set on the British Empire, well everyone in Tree Hill knew that the sun never set on the Scott House. It had been home to the Scott family for over fifty years yet it still had a brand new feel to it. Countless rooms, spotless surfaces, all the material things money could desire, and love. There was love filled throughout this household. It housed Dan Scott and his family. And this Sunday morning was not like a normal one for the Scott family. It was a special day for Dan Scott, his wife, Karen Scott, and his youngest son, Lucas Scott; today was the day Nathan Scott, the eldest son, would return home after graduating from the Asheville School. It was indeed a very exciting day for the Scott family.

Karen Scott was awake quite early. One, because she couldn't sleep in anticipation for her son's arrival, and two, because she had a lot of cooking to do. Karen was determined to make all of Nathan's favorite foods for his first day back. She inspected the steak, which was minutes away from being done, and turned her attention to the mashed potatoes she was in the process of making. These potatoes were Nathan's favorite and only Karen knew how to make them because they were from a secret recipe passed down from generation to generation in the Roe family. Karen smiled to herself as she thought about her eldest son coming home. He was the light in her life and she loved him more than any mother could love her son. Her smile grew bigger as she looked at the clock hanging on the wall of the Scott kitchen, he was only an hour away.

Dan Scott could smell the delicious food his wife was cooking all the way up in his bedroom. It was a lazy Sunday morning for the usually busy Dan Scott. He had taken his time waking up and getting ready; it was almost noon and he had just made his way out of the shower. He was currently buttoning the remaining buttons on his shirt when he got a whiff of Karen Scott's cooking. She had made Nathan's favorite, he could smell it. Like Karen, Dan was extremely excited for his son to come home. He had just graduated high school from the most prestigious boarding school in North Carolina, and it was also the boarding school where he had graduated from and where his father had graduated from and so on and so forth. It was an honored family tradition to go to Asheville School. Dan's smile rivaled that of his wife's in anticipation of his son's arrival.

All the way on the opposite end of the Scott Manor lie the final member of the Scott family, Lucas Eugene Scott.

"Oh, Luke! You've gotten so fat that none of your clothes fit you anymore!" exclaimed Deborah Lee. Deborah Lee, or Deb as she was known to the Dan and Karen Scott, was the Scott family's personal nanny. Deb and Karen initially met when they were both in college and have been good and close friends ever since. Deb first worked for Karen in Karen's Café, which was Mrs. Scott's personal business venture, and ever since Nathan came into the lives of the Scotts, Karen and Dan decided to hire Deb as a nanny of sorts. When Lucas was born, Deb's role in the Scott household was solidified. Although she wasn't a Scott when it came to her blood, when it came to her heart she was a Scott.

"DB!" A very plump and very young Lucas whined. When Lucas was just a little boy he would have trouble saying Nanny Deb or Debbie, so he just stuck to DB and has been calling Deb that ever since.

"Don't say DB! Call me Nanny Deb" Deb joked as she tried to straighten out Lucas' shirt which had taken fifteen minutes to put on. Deb had been instructed to make sure Lucas had his Sunday best on for Nathan's arrival.

* * *

"Is he here yet? Did I miss his arrival? Am I too late?" Peyton Sawyer burst through the kitchen like a tornado and bombarded Karen Scott with questions.

Karen laughed softly, "No, honey, he isn't here yet."

"Oh, good… I thought I was late. I've been telling Dad that he would be here soon and he's complaining about it being Sunday and how he'll take his time, so I just came here without him. He'll be here soon, though, I'm sure" Peyton rambled.

Karen gave her a small smile and handed her a stack of plates, "Here, why don't you help me set the table."

With that Peyton left the kitchen and began setting the table as she was told. The Sawyers and the Scotts were long time family friends. Both Dan and Larry Sawyer were both big time business players in Tree Hill. Dan worked with cars, while Larry worked with boats. The families shared a lot in common, like Nathan, Peyton was also adopted. Anna and Larry Sawyer had adopted Peyton right when she was born, and once Peyton found out about this, her and Nathan instantly bonded. They became even closer once Peyton's mother, Anna, passed away in a car accident. Since these events that brought these two friends together, they have been inseparable. And as every member currently in the Scott house, Peyton Sawyer was also anxious for Nathan's arrival. They were best friends, and she had missed him. Plus, it had been months since she had seen him. The Scotts and the Sawyers had always suspected a budding romance between the two, and moments like these where Peyton's anticipation for Nathan's arrival was overpowering gave proof to the theory of romance being true.

"Good morning Peyton," Deirdre Roe said as she walked into the dining room taking a seat. May Scott followed right behind her. May and Deirdre had also come to Tree Hill to see their grandson and spend some time with him.

"She means, 'Good Afternoon'" May interjected as Peyton was about to greet the two older women.

"Well, May, it's not technically noon yet, so I was correct in saying 'Good Morning,'" Deirdre countered.

Peyton only chuckled to herself at the exchange between the two grandmothers. They always bantered like this, so Peyton continued to put the glasses on around the dining table and the forks and spoons around each plate. Deirdre and May took a seat at their respective spots around the table, as Peyton settled down as well, double checking to make sure she had set the table correctly.

"Are you excited for the Duke game coming up tomorrow, Dan?" The dining room was filling up quickly. Larry Sawyer had just walked in with Dan Scott, and Lucas Scott followed alongside Deborah Lee, who was trying to fix Lucas' hair, but he would have none of it and kept on swatting her hand away.

"Of course I am, Larry. We'll have to get together and watch it, my place or yours?" Dan answered as he took a seat at the head of the table. "Good morning, Peyton. I'm glad you're here today." Dan gave Peyton a small smile which she gladly returned.

"See, told you it was 'Good Morning'" Deirdre remarked to May, which only resulted in May making an indifferent face in her direction.

"I would have been here sooner, Mr. Scott, but my Dad decided to move at a glacial pace this morning." Peyton responded while rolling her eyes at her father.

"Oh leave me alone, Pey, it's Sunday morning. Even Dan here knows that Sunday's are a day of relaxation," Larry replied jokingly to his daughter.

At that moment Karen walked in with bowls of food in both of her hands and placed them down on the table. One bowl was filled with fluffy looking mashed potatoes and the other was filled with corn.

"Ah, Karen, let me help you with that," Deb got up from her seat and followed Karen into the kitchen.

"Dad, do you think I can watch the game with you?" Lucas asked eagerly.

"None of this basketball talk, now. Discuss basketball after my son comes home, not now, " Karen said sternly as she brought in the dish that held the steak and placed in on the table.

"Oye! Lucas Eugene Scott, give me that Kit-Kat now!" Uh-oh busted. Deb had caught sight of the Kit-Kat bar Lucas was trying to hide under the table as she re-entered the kitchen. "Save that for after lunch!" She scolded as she grabbed the chocolate bar from Lucas' chubby fingers.

Luke hung his head low, slightly embarrassed, but more so upset that he had been caught. There was one thing Lucas Scott loved in the world and that was a Kit-Kat bar. It was the one thing he could eat and eat and eat and he would eat and eat and eat. Every since he had gotten a hold of a Kit-Kat bar at the age of three, one could always find the youngest Scott with one in hand. Most believed that Lucas' love for Kit-Kats was the reason that he was a little on the plump side.

Everyone at the table started laughing as Karen finally took her seat beside her husband. Chatter began as small conversations were being made around the table as everyone waited for the arrival of the guest of honor. Larry and Dan were talking basketball, and little Lucas was trying to contribute to the conversation. Deb and Karen were discussing the food on the table, as Deb reassured Karen that Nathan would love the food. Peyton was stuck in between an argument between May and Deirdre, yet again. All the sudden all conversation was stopped. Through the laughing and the chatter everyone had heard the front door open, and everyone had halted what they were doing and turned their heads to the entrance into the dining room. Quick footsteps were heard getting closer and closer. Everyone's full attention was at the doorway where a raven haired boy emerged. He was quite tall, definitely taller than six foot, and he was wearing a worn black leather jacket and a nice pair of jeans. Gorgeous blue eyes met eight pairs of eyes staring back at him. A wide smile was on the face of the boy who was standing in the doorway, and that same wide smile was mirrored on the faces of each and every person sitting in that room.

Nathan Royal Scott was home. Finally.

_Round my hometown, memories are fresh_

_Round my hometown, oh, the people I've met_

_Are the wonders of my world_

_Are the wonders of this world_

_Are the wonders…_


	5. Between Order and Randomness

**Chapter Five - Between Order and Randomness**

_Running, running_

_As fast as we can_

_I really hope you make it_

_Do you think we'll make it?_

"Oh, Peyton! Hold on! Come here!" Nathan Scott yelled as he ran after Peyton Sawyer. He grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. His hold on her arm had found its way downward to hold her hand, and they looked at each other laughing and out of breath. It was a Nathan Scott and Peyton Sawyer ritual; every other morning they would go running together around Tree Hill. They were on the last leg of the run, both dressed in their running attire, Peyton with a water bottle in hand. The Scott Manor was in full view as they were reaching closer and closer to their ending destination. Now that Nathan was home from boarding school for good, they would be going on these runs regularly.

Nathan had called to Peyton to make her stop because she was pulling ahead of him during the run, and Nathan Scott always wanted to be the best in everything he did. They both continued laughing and smiling as they looked at each other, until they noticed that their hands were still interlocked and they suddenly let go, both slightly embarrassed.

"Oh god, it feels so good to be back home!" Nathan said as he stretched out his arms, looking at Peyton out of the corner of his eye.

Peyton only looked back at him with a smile on her face, as she too was happy he was finally home. "Yes it is," she whispered softly to herself, not knowing that Nathan had heard her comment. "So tell me Nathan," Peyton began as they both made their way back to the Scott Manor, "So tell me one thing…"

Nathan nodded, signaling to Peyton that she had his full attention.

"E-mails, letters, faxes, I sent you all of these things, more than once, mind you, and I received no reply in return. Very rude." She stated giving Nathan a very stern look and a nice punch to the arm.

"Hey, hey, Asheville is a tough school, Pey. Plus I had basketball." Nathan responded with the best innocent face he could muster.

"Oh, did basketball keep you busy? Or was it something else? I mean, someone else. Particularly of the female variety," Peyton inquired teasingly.

Nathan simply laughed, "Well you know if there was more than one girl I would probably let you know. You know me." Nathan, then, gave Peyton his signature Nathan Scott smirk.

"Right, of course, you stud you," Peyton said rolling her eyes sarcastically.

"That's right, me stud me, "Nathan mimicked. They both laughed, happy to be back with each other and enjoying each other's company.

"Come on, tell me Nathan." Peyton persisted; she really did want to know if there was a girl in Nathan Scott's life.

"What do you think?" Nathan replied, deciding he would play along.

"I think that…."

"What do you think?"

"I think that, Nathan…."

"Exactly what do you think, Peyton?"

Peyton punched Nathan in the arm again in order to shut him up from interrupting her thought process, "Well, Nathan, I think that no one is as generous as me, therefore no one other than myself will waste their time with you, especially a girl."

"Uh-huh?"

"Yep, and it's not like you even know what to do around a girl or with a girl," Peyton offered knowing it would get Nathan going.

"Oh, really?" Nathan said sarcastically, "Is this done with a girl?" he said as he grabbed Peyton from behind and lifted her up and twirled her around, causing her to scream in both shock and delight.

"NATHAN!" Peyton screamed half laughing half serious.

"Well, then is this done with a girl?" Nathan asked as he put her down and started tickling her sides.

"Stop Nathan! Stop!" Peyton squealed trying to get away from Nathan's grasp but failing miserably.

"Well, tell me then, what is done with a girl?" Nathan joked, finally stopping his torture of Peyton.

"Shut up," Peyton replied giving him a look, "Did you at least miss me?"

"Should I tell you the truth or should I lie to you?" he asked in all seriousness.

"Lie…" Peyton challenged.

"Alright, well if you want me to lie, then I'd say I did…." Nathan said giving Peyton a sideways look and smirking. Peyton began to open her mouth in protest, but Nathan silenced her, "…not miss you at all."

Peyton smiled big and wide, "How sweet."

"It was sweet wasn't it" Nathan responded. "I give myself props. Now enough about me what about you?" Nathan questioned as he put his arm around his long time friend. "Are you still the same girl I've known forever or is there some lunatic that's actually interested in you?"

"What do you think?" Peyton offered.

"I think that…"

"What do you think, Nathan?"

"I think…"

"What? What do you think?"

Nathan moved to stand directly behind Peyton. His hands laying on her shoulders as he bent down close to her left ear and whispered into it, "Peyton, I think that I can beat you to the door of my house."

"Really?" Peyton inquired playing with the water bottle in her hand.

"Really." He said simply.

"Don't bet on that," she said as she elbowed Nathan right in the stomach and ran off.

"Hey Peyton!" Nathan screamed as he ran after her.

"Come on slowpoke!" Peyton yelled as she threw her water bottle at him.

"Come here!"

And they both ran off laughing towards the Scott House.

* * *

The television was on in Lucas' Scott's room as he sat intently watching the live broadcast of the Duke University versus University of North Carolina game. It was the end of the year exhibition game that happened every year against the two rival schools.

"Come on! Come on! Dunk the ball! Come on! Yes yes!" Ten year old Lucas was sitting on his bed, Kit-Kat in one hand, his eyes glued to the television, arm in the air rooting on the Duke Blue Devils.

"Yes yes…Don't you have to get ready for school, Luke," Nanny Deb questioned, grabbing the Kit-Kat out of Lucas' hand and walking past him, "You're getting late, mister."

"Ah, thank you," Nathan said as he walked into Lucas' room and grabbed the Kit-Kat right out of Nanny Deb's hand. "Here eat it," he said to Lucas as he walked over to him and sat on the bed. He went to feed Lucas a bite, and Lucas was prepared with his mouth wide open, but as soon as he could taste the Kit-Kat Nathan grabbed it out of his mouth and took a bite of it himself, laughing. "What's the score?"

Lucas looked grumpily at Nathan before answering, "104 to 98. Isn't that great?!"

"That's damn good!" Nathan countered turning his attention to the television, "How much time is left?"

"Oh yes yes yes! Go Duke!" Both brothers yelled as a Duke player scored a two pointer. They both hollered and cheered happy that their favorite team was winning.

Lucas grabbed the Kit-Kat out of Nathan's hand and took a bite out of it, "Man, Nate, I think Duke is definitely going to KILL UNC this time!"

"No, no no, you never know Luke, anything can happen in the last minute of the game," Nathan said as he got up from Lucas' bed and walked over to Deb who was ready with Nathan's jacket, "You can't count on them too much, you never know with Duke. Oh, thanks Deb. Look Deb we're winning!" Nathan said as he put on his business jacket.

"I don't understand what the big deal is, a dunk here a shot there…" Deb said walking over to Lucas and sitting down next to him, as Lucas was still enthralled in the game and still hollering at the TV. She sat down and proceeded to grab Lucas's leg and bring it up to her lap, but was having difficulty doing so since Lucas' one leg weighed so much.

"Ow ow ow ow, DB!" Lucas exclaimed at his Nanny Deb.

"Are these legs or are these tree trunks?" she asked finally succeeding in getting the one leg up on her lap.

"Whats this Deb? He still hasn't learned to tie his own shoelaces?" Nathan questioned as he jumped on the bed sitting behind Lucas and Deb.

Deborah Lee proceeded to tie Lucas' shoes, "So what, he's only a small child. He has plenty of time to learn," she answered lovingly.

"Well, if you don't let him do it himself how is going to learn!" Nathan replied, "Fatty!" He said to Lucas as he pushed him and gave him a slap on the back.

Lucas mimicked his tone and stuck his tongue out at his older brother, "Why did you have to come back from boarding school?" he whined.

Nathan responded by putting Lucas into a headlock and starting a play fight with him.

"What's with all the commotion?" Karen Scott asked as she walked into her youngest son's room smiling at the brotherly love.

Nathan immediately jumped off the bed and ran to his mother putting his arm around her, "What can I tell you, Mom, you've gone and overfed Lucas here and turned him into a pumpkin." Nathan laughed and Karen couldn't help but join him with a smile; she was just happy that her son was home and with her. She had really missed him while he was at boarding school.

"Yeah, yeah laugh all you want," Luke responded as Nanny Deb fixed his hair, "When I go to boarding school next year, then you all will miss me. No one loves me!" He said the last part to his Nanny Deb, who hugged Lucas comfortingly.

All Nathan could do was laugh, "By the way, Fatty, Mom loves me more than you!" He said giving his mother a kiss on the cheek.

"DB! Look at him!" Lucas whined.

"Oh it's nothing, Luke. He's just jealous of you," Deb tried her best to placate him.

"God, I missed you, Mom," Nathan said as he hugged his mother tightly.

"I missed you too, son. You're not leaving me again are you?" She questioned.

"Nope, never," Nathan promised, not knowing that he would have to break this promise in the near future. "Just as long as you promise to not feed me like you feed that pumpkin I call a brother."

"Karen! Karen! Our son's home and you forget all about me!" Dan Scott called from his room. "I can't seem to figure out how to tie this tie. I need your help, Karen!"

* * *

"This is for you my son," Dan and Nathan Scott were standing in Dan Scott's office, "Soon the Scott Empire will be yours. " Dan Scott's office was lavish to say the least. It was extremely spacious with family pictures spread all around his desk as well as the shelves. On one wall all of Dan Scott's awards and certificates and honors were put on display for all to see and be envious of. Dan turned his attention to the portrait of his father staring at him in the wall, "That's your grandfather, Royal Scott," Dan pointed out to Nathan. "He was a great man, Nathan, a great man. Just look at him son, look at that stature; he demands respect out of everyone. You know Nathan, thirty years ago, he told me some things in this exact office which I will relay to you now."

Nathan paid close attention to the words coming out of his father's mouth.

"He said that life offers you many paths to choose from, you must always choose the one that is right, the one where you don't have to bend where you don't have to fall, where you won't fail. Never take a step that would result in bringing shame to your family and the prestige the Scott name holds. Anyone can earn money, son, but earning respect is not everyone's cup of tea. " Dan turned to his son lovingly, remembering the words of his own father as if it were merely yesterday, "I still remember everything he said to me that day and you shouldn't forget these words either. "

Dan turned his full attention to his son, facing him in all seriousness, "Promise me that you will follow the traditions of the Scott family. Promise me you will never comprise the respect this family has acquired. "

Nathan looked at his father, determined, "I promise you, Dad. I promise that I will always keep the family name flying high. I promise that I will always keep you happy, Dad. Always. "

Little did Nathan Royal Scott know that he would not only be breaking a promise to his mother, but a promise to his father. Very soon, he would anger his father and very soon he would bring shame to his family name. No one knew that something would come in the way of all the promises that Nathan Scott had made on this faithful day. No one could imagine that it would be a very special someone, a very special girl, who would change everything for Nathan Scott. Everything.

_And all at once the crowd begins to sing  
Sometimes...  
We'd never know what's wrong without the pain  
Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same_


	6. I'm Just A Girl

**Chapter Six – I'm Just A Girl**

_This is gonna bring me clarity  
_

_This'll take the heart right out of me  
_

_She is everything I need that I never knew I wanted_

_She is everything I want that I never knew I needed_

_She is everything_

"We won! We won!" Haley James was running around excitedly in front of Karen's Café, bouncing up and down decked out in her Duke Blue Devils attire. Her wavy blonde hair bounced up and down as she did, framing her face perfectly. Her brown eyes glistened in the sun and they exuded the happiness and excitement she was feeling. Haley James was an eighteen year old Tree Hill High School graduate, and not only had she graduated; she was also valedictorian of her class. Why was this Tree Hill High alum jumping around so excitedly in the streets of Tree Hill, well why don't you ask her.

"Duke won!" she screamed to random people walking on the sidewalk, to the cars driving by, and to the people who were watching the game with her. Haley James was an avid basketball watcher, and Duke University housed her favorite team.

"Brooke! Brooke!" Haley ran across the street towards Karen's Café, not looking to see if there were any cars; she was simply too excited to worry about trivial matters such as her well being. Right now, she only had one goal: telling everyone she could that the Blue Devils had whooped some Tar Heels butt.

"Brooke!" She ran into Karen's Café, completely out of breath. Haley James had been an employee of Karen's Café since she was about fourteen years old. She was supposed to be working at this very moment, but the Duke game was much more important. Karen Scott had opened up Karen's Café in the heart of Tree Hill and had hired Haley after she had begged and begged for the job. Karen never wanted to be a mere housewife; it just wasn't in her blood to sit at home and do nothing. She also didn't want to depend on the Scott fortune to get her by in life, even though it was more than enough, so she came up with the idea of Karen's Café. With some beginning money, which was her own because the Roe family was quite wealthy as well, she began this business venture with her close friend Deborah Lee. Karen had taken the week off from working, due to the arrival of her eldest son, so it was up to Haley to keep everything under control. This usually happened a lot, especially when Deb was on nanny duty.

"What happened?" Ten year old Brooke Davis asked exasperatedly from behind the counter as she was brushing her hair. Now it is usually weird to see an eighteen year old hanging out with someone who is eight years her younger, but the relationship between Brooke Davis and Haley James was a different one. Brooke's mother and father moved to Tree Hill right before she was born, and ended up living right next door to Haley James and her father, Keith James. Once Brooke was born, Haley found herself over at the Davis resident quite often, usually babysitting while the Davis' went out every night and forgot they had baby daughter. This was how it worked for the first four years of Brooke's life. She found herself living at the James' residence more often than she actually saw her own parents. Once she turned five, Keith James decided enough was enough, while the Davis' simultaneously decided that they wanted to move out to California. Keith knew that Brooke's life would be horrible and one filled with no love if she went to California with her parents. So after days of arguments and discussions, Keith James decided to take Brooke Davis in as his own daughter, and Brooke's parents had no problem with that whatsoever. Each person left the ordeal happy, and since then Brooke has been like a little sister for Haley and a second daughter to Keith.

"We won the game! We won!" Haley exclaimed and Brooke joined her in a little happy jig. "Battier was on a roll the entire game! He scored forty four points, Brooke!"

"Really!" Brooke wasn't as into basketball as Haley was, but because Haley loved it so much and Brooke looked up to her quasi big sister, Brooke adopted some of Haley's love of Duke.

"Fight, fight Blue Devils!" Haley screamed to everyone dining in Karen's Café.

"Fight for Duke and the Blue and White!" All the customers yelled back, knowing the Duke fight song by heart.

Haley smiled big and wide, nothing could bring her down from this good mood. She looked around and saw her good friend Fergie standing across the street, "Alright Brooke, take care of the café, I'll be right back!"

"That's what I've been doing all day, Haley," Brooke said as she rolled her eyes, as she began brushing her hair again, making sure it looked perfect.

Haley ignored her, and set out on a mission to reach Fergie, "Fergie! Feeeeeergiiiiiie" She said in a sing song voice.

Fergie spotted his high school friend right away, and as soon as Haley reached him they both started doing their Duke dance, "What a game! What a game! What a game!" They both sang as they danced around the sidewalk.

"That was the best game ever! Take that Tar Heels suckers!" Fergie said as he continued to dance.

"I know! Could you believe the dunks Battier was making!" Haley exclaimed not being able to contain the excitement she was feeling.

"Please tell me you guys are taking about that MAGNIFICENT GAME!" Junk said as he joined the twosome on the sidewalk. Like Fergie, Haley knew Junk from Tree Hill High. The group of them were really close; it was an odd sight, but nonetheless they were the best of friends.

"Of course!" Haley said.

"Man, you should see the faces of the Tar Heels fans in this town; they are all basically close to tears, it's great!" Junk replied happily.

"I have to tell Skills! Skills!" Haley called out to her closest friend. It was always Skills, Fergie, Junk, and Haley, but everyone knew Haley was probably closest to Skills.

"Don't be so loud!" Junk said as he silenced Haley, "Don't you remember what today is!"

"Uh, the day all Tar Heels fans will remember as the worst day ever?" Haley responded.

"The folks from Virginia Tech are here to see Skills, you know for college to play basketball." Junk asked.

* * *

"Sit down son," Mr. Taylor said, as Antwon 'Skills' Taylor stood nervously around his living room. The representatives from Virginia Tech were currently sitting in opposite him, staring at him intently. He was incredibly anxious, these two men would decide his future for him.

"Good afternoon," Skills said, trying to sound as formal and proper as possible, something that seemed foreign.

"Good afternoon," the two representatives said simultaneously. One of the men was relatively younger than the other, he was probably in his early thirties, while the elder gentleman was in his late sixties.

"Good afternoon," Mr. Taylor said as well. He was there to make sure his son didn't pass out from nervousness, "This is my son, Skills, I mean Antwon Taylor."

"Skills?" the elder gentleman questioned.

"It's a nickname," Skills answered tentatively.

As the two Virginia Tech exchanged a brief smile, a figure could be seen screaming, "Skills! Skills!"

Haley James had found her way to Antwon 'Skills' Taylor's home; it wasn't that difficult because they only lived two houses down from each other. Haley continued to stand outside the living room window of the Taylor residence, flailing her arms trying to get Skill's attention. Outside of Skills' house there was a garden where his mother grew the prettiest of flowers and the freshest of vegetables and fruits, and outside the border of the garden, there was a white picket fence. This was where the mischievous Haley James was standing.

"Oh, Skills! Skills!" She tried to yell and whisper at the same time to the best of her ability, thankfully the window was partially open, and her brightly colored blue and white Blue Devils outfit finally caught Skills' attention.

Skills Taylor caught sight of his best friend, and immediately got ten times more nervous. Haley always picked the most god awful times to show up. "What happened?" he whispered making sure no one saw him.

"We won the game! We won!" she said performing her signature dance which involved her hands up in the air and hips moving at a rapid pace, outside of his window.

"My son is very quiet and introverted you see---" Mr. Taylor began.

But he was interrupted by his son's loud, "WE WON!"

"Quiet and introverted? Really?" the younger man said as the older man recovered from the shock of Skill's loud proclamation. Mr. Taylor gave his son a very stern look, and Skills' put his head down, inwardly smiling that Duke had won. Haley was jumping around and moving back and forth still trying to keep Skills' attention. She succeeded and Skills mouthed 'How many points did Battier score?'

"So how old are you Antwon?" the younger Virginia Tech man questioned. While he asked his question, Haley was miming the number 'forty-four' to Skills, which resulted in…

"FORTY-FOUR!" Skills said excitedly.

"Excuse me, you're forty four years old?" the older man asked, clearly confused.

Mr. Taylor quickly recovered, "No, no he's eighteen," he said as he looked at his son visibly angry.

"Well, this is very strange for us, " the younger representative began, "Virginia Tech, as you know, is in Virginia, and here we are in the small town of Tree Hill, but we've heard so much about you, Antwon, and your ability on the court. It was such great news to here that you were interested in our school---"

As he was on his rant, Skills was paying close attention to Haley's detailed description of the game.

"It's great to have such a talented athlete interested in a good college education and VT can definitely provide that for you Antwon," he continued.

Haley had just finished her own rant about Duke's winning game, and Skills' excitement couldn't be contained so he screamed, "YEAH! DUKE!"

"Duke?" the older man questioned.

"Excuse me, Antwon, if you are looking into Duke University, then there is really no point of us being here. We thought you were solely interested in us, that is what we were told, unless you were misleading us."

Mr. Taylor paniced, "No no, that's not it. Uh…..Duke….Duke…..that's his dog! It's my son's dog, his name is Duke."

"Oh?" both of the men said in unison.

"He probably just saw him running out in the yard, and got distracted, right son?" Mr. Taylor was trying his best to persuade these men of the existence of an imaginary dog named Duke.

"Oh yes, he's uh my best friend" Skills answered, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Oh that's nice, I own a dog too, we call her Honey," the older man began. As soon as Skills had an opening he mimed to Haley to go away.

"You're getting me in trouble," he whispered, thinking no one had seen him, but his father had caught sight of him, and turned to see Haley James trying to act as natural as possible outside of his window.

Someone's in trouble…

* * *

"OW!" Haley yelped. Mr. Taylor had immediately gone to Deborah Lee after the little scene Haley James had created with his son. Ever since Haley had started working at Karen's Café, Deb had taken on a motherly role for her. Haley's mother had passed away when she was much younger, and all she had was her father, so after some months working with Deb, she had taken to Deb as a mother figure. This is exactly why Skills' father had gone to Deb and told her about Haley's mischievous ways. He knew that she would know how to deal with her.

"EEEK!" Haley said again, Deborah had a nice firm grip on Haley's ear as she dragged her into the James' residence walking through the several rooms.

"Come on you! I'll teach you a lesson…" Deb said playfully. "I am telling your father everything, Haley. I can't wait to see Keith's reaction to this story." Deb said as she and Haley walked into Keith James' room, "Oh my!" but before she could continue, she was taken aback by the sight in front of her.

Keith James' lay in his bed, Brooke Davis sitting by his side, and a doctor was sitting on a chair beside the bed, a stethoscope around his neck and a pen and prescription pad in his hands.

"Dad, is everything okay?" Haley said running to her father's side, and Deb looked on concerned as well.

"Oh forget about me, Deb, tell me what my daughter has done this time," he said looking at Haley.

"You should be asking me what she hasn't done!" Deb started very animatedly, "Antwon had two representatives coming from Virginia Tech to speak to him today, and she almost ruined his chances to get into college!"

"What?" Keith asked reflexively getting up into a sitting position. Deb nodded her add in affirmation.

Before Keith could sit up straight, the doctor put his hand on his shoulder and laid him back down, "Blood pressure is 180 by 100, it's high, you should relax."

"BP is high?! But why?" Haley exclaimed sitting down next to her Dad, along with Brooke.

"Blood pressure is definitely high," Deb answered, "And it's because of you!"

"I have increased the prescription, so please get it filled for your father," the doctor stated as he handed over the prescription to Haley and stood up from his seat.

"Yes, of course, of course," she answered showing the doctor out the door.

"Keith, you should be taking care of yourself," Deb said as she took the seat the doctor was previously on. "This just won't do."

"Yeah, Deb!" Haley began, taking her seat by her father's side as well, "Dad, you don't take care of yourself!"

"Oh you keep quiet!" Keith began, "I don't want to talk to you."

"WHHHHY!" Haley whined.

"Why?!" Keith mimicked Haley's whine, "What was Deb talking about, Skills not getting into school?"

Deb interrupted the exchange between father and daughter, "Oh no no Keith, I was just joking. " Haley whimpered putting her head down and pouting at her father, making it seem like she was going to break out in tears at any minute.

"Look at you Deb!" Keith said jokingly, "Look how you've spoiled my two daughters." He addressed both Haley and Brooke. Not only had Deb become a mother like figure for Haley but for Brooke as well.

"Well, of course I did, they're like my own children," she said laughing, "Now let's put all this aside, shall we? The good news is that Haley failed at her mission of ruining Antwon's life, and the men from Virginia Tech really liked him. They're going to send a proper interviewer over to finalize an agreement. He's going to Virginia Tech!"

"Yep, my Skills, is going to be playing college ball for VT!" Haley said proudly. "But I guess they didn't get a good look at him… I can't believe he's going to be leaving all of us here."

"Well, everyone's going to have to leave soon enough you know," Keith answered smiling at his daughter.

"Not me, Dad," Haley said moving closer to her father, "No way am I leaving my Daddy to go anywhere!"

"Neither am I!" Brooke said as she took her place on the other side of Keith, sandwiching him in between her and Haley.

Keith James' put his arms around both his daughters laughing, "So does this mean I should leave then?"

"Don't talk about those things, Dad!" Haley scolded.

"Oh, honey, you know you're going to have to get married some day or another," Keith said, "I only pray that the man you end up marrying loves you even more than I do."

"Yeah, okay," Haley said as she rested her head on her father's shoulder, "As if such a guy actually exists in the world."

* * *

"But I'm here," Nathan Scott remarked from the passenger seat of Peyton Sawyer's black 1968 Mercury Comet. Peyton was in the driver's seat, and she had just pulled up in front of Nathan's house.

"Oh shut up Nathan!" Peyton said visibly upset with the boy sitting next to her, "You basically sucked tonight!"

"I'm sorry," Nathan began to say but was cut off by Peyton's rambling.

"You didn't dance at the party, you didn't eat at the party, you didn't even talk to anyone!" Peyton and Nathan had gone to a Tree Hill High School raging end of the year party, and had just gotten back. "And on top of all of that, you didn't even tell me how great I look tonight!"

Nathan was making his way out of the car when he heard this and stopped and turned around, "You look really beautiful, Peyton."

"Really? How sweet," Peyton replied with a big smile on her face.

"I'm really sweet, and I can also lie really well," Nathan responded.

"Huh? Ugh! Just. Go." Peyton said very angrily.

"No…" Nathan gave in, "You do look amazing tonight."

"Are you lying or telling the truth?" Peyton inquired.

"What do you think?"

"I think," Peyton began turning her attention to Nathan.

"What do you think Peyton?"

"Nathan, I think that…"

"What do you think?"

"Nathan, I think it's time for you to go."

"In any case, I wasn't planning on coming with you anyway, but hey thanks for the offer!" Nathan said with a gorgeous smirk on his face. "Goodnight!" He said as he quickly got out of the vehicle. All Peyton could do was shake her head at his antics, and she put the car into gear and started to drive off.

"By the way! I was lying to you!"

Nathan Scott made his way back into his home, and walked into his living room where his grandmother, Mae Scott, and his mother, Karen Scott, sat on the couch, and his brother, Lucas, and his father, Dan, sat in front of the fireplace playing a board game.

"What is the longest river in the world?" Lucas questioned. He and his father were playing the board game version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and Lucas was Regis for the night, while his father was the contestant.

"The Nile," Dan answered plainly.

"Are you sure? Confident? Final answer?" Lucas said bugging his father.

"Shut up," Dan said jokingly as Nathan laughed and took a seat on the floor next to his mother, who was on the couch.

"Hey Mom! Hi Dad, Grand-Ma Mae! Fatty!" Nathan greeted everyone.

"Daaaaaad!" Lucas whined.

"Nathan, stop it." Dan said in an indifferent manner.

"Sorry Dad," Nathan said halfheartedly, "What are you doing, Mom?"

"Oh nothing, they're just planning Daddy's surprise birthday party what else?" Lucas said without thinking.

"Lucas!"

"Luke!"

"Fatty!"

Mae Scott, Karen Scott, and Nathan Scott, yelled respectively.

"That child can't keep a secret inside of him!" Karen exclaimed.

"That's because there's so much already there with all that food you feed him!" Nathan joked.

"Nathan, why are you back so early from that party?" Karen questioned to her son.

"Oh come on Ma! Those parties are so boring."

"Oh really?" Karen responded, "Well in that case you are nothing like your father. He loved all those parties because there were a lot of girls roaming around," Karen whispered the last part hoping her husband wouldn't hear.

"Karen!" Dan said overhearing the conversation.

She only laughed, "He used to get so happy watching all those girls walking around and giving him so much attention because he was star of the basketball team."

"Karen, love, if I hadn't watched all those beautiful girls how would I have found you?" Dan replied giving his wife a smile.

All Mae Scott could do was laugh, memories of Dan and Karen at a young age flooded her and she smiled brightly. "When your grandfather saw Karen for the first time he was very pleased," Mae said to both her grandchildren. "And he immediately gave his approval!" Everyone in the Scott family laughed. "Tradition is so great and everything, but now times are changing," Mae thought aloud.

"Yeah, you're right Mae, there's no more of this marrying into the same social classes and having the approval of your elders and all that. It's a new age." Karen responded. Karen herself had come from a very rich family, just like Dan, and when they had gotten married it was all well because not only were they in love but it boasted the reputation of both the Roes and the Scotts. The marriage wasn't only a sentiment of the love Dan and Karen shared, but it was also a social statement. These things happened when old money was involved.

"Nothing has changed," Dan said sternly.

"Yes, but nowadays kids marry whenever they want and to whomever they want. There's dating and all this stuff, as well as none of this rich versus poor or middle class versus upper class nonsense going around," Karen answered.

"Nothing has changed, Karen," Dan repeated, more strongly.

"I was just saying…" Karen began.

"Nothing. Has changed," Dan said looking at his wife with a very firm expression, "I said it didn't I? That's it. No more."

_The sky is falling and no one knows_

_We shouldn't be hard to believe_

_Shouldn't be this difficult to breathe_

_The sky is falling and no one knows_


	7. Polar Opposites

**Chapter Seven – Polar Opposites**

_Cause everything is so serene_

_And the temperature is just right_

_Not a worry in sight_

_And plus the sun is shining bright, it's a beautiful day_

_It's a beautiful day_

The summer days of Tree Hill had proven to be the loveliest out of the year. Tree Hill was beautiful all year long, but summer days like this one seemed to be the ones that the Tree Hill's residents lived for. It was still the beginning of summer, so the smoldering hot weather had yet to arrive, and it was still nice enough to walk outside without dying of thirst or sweat. The wind was blowing slightly, offering a nice breath of fresh air every so often. It was indeed a picture perfect day as Haley James and Skills Taylor made their way into the center of town. They passed children playing stickball on the street and parents watching them from their porches. This was what it was like in the heart of Tree Hill, a sharp contrast to the part of town the Scott family lived in. Tree Hill was divided both economically and socially; there was the center of town where Haley and Skills lived, and then there was the outskirts of town where the likes of the Scotts and Sawyers resided. There was love in the center of Tree Hill. Neighbors interacted, all the town inhabitants knew each other. In contrast, the wealthier families kept to themselves, you would never see adolescents running around near the Scott resident; it was just unheard of. It was a modern set up of rich versus poor, the upper class versus the lower class, the elite versus the everyday. Families like the Scott family were the royalty and nobility that looked down upon the commonfolk of Tree Hill. That's just how it was.

"I cannot believe you're going all the way to Virginia!" Haley teased as Skills and her made their routine walk towards Karen's Café. Haley had to work today, and Skills had offered to walk her there because he had business in the area anyway. "Jeez, what did those people even see in you!"

"Shut up!" he said swatting at her. "This coming from the girl who got accepted to Stanford University."

"Yes, but you see, Antwon," she began antagonizing him. She only called him Antwon when she was mad at him or if she wanted to annoy him. "You're actually going to Virginia, I am not going to Stanford." She said this with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Well, why not?" Skills asked, "You got in!"

"Yeah, but it still costs loads and loads and loads of money which I don't own. Remember I'm not a Scott, nor do I live on the hill of rich folk" Haley said looking anywhere but at Skills. She hated talking about this kind of stuff, she even hated thinking about it.

"What about scholarships?" Skills persisted. "That's how I'm going to VT; they're giving me a scholarship."

"Alas, my friend," Haley said as she placed her arm around her friend, "I do not have any athletic talents. Plus, I applied for a lot of scholarships, they're supposed to let me know in a month. Anyway, Junk said something about you have a special guest over today?" Haley immediately changed the subject. There was no way around it, Stanford was her dream school, but she knew she couldn't go. She couldn't just leave her father and her sister like that. It was way too much money as it was, and her family was already living from paycheck to paycheck. She couldn't just throw all that away for a stupid pipe dream. She had long ago decided she was just going to take classes at a local community college, until she had saved up enough money to go to a college.

Sensing that Haley didn't want to talk about it, he allowed the subject change to occur, "Yep, my cousin Justin is coming for a few days. He's actually coming down to meet you and get your approval. He's coming from Virginia actually." Skills joked.

"I'm glad he knows that even your family members have to get the a-okay from me before they can actually be your family," Haley said as seriously as she could. "So what does he do up there?"

"He's a poet." Skills deadpanned.

"Really?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, or well that's what he is for this month. He changes careers more often than I change my underwear."

"EW! GET AWAY!" Haley screamed, "Ugh, gross."

All Skills could do was laugh.

"Well, if he's a poet, then I'm sure we'll get along just fine," Haley said as she and Skills stepped into Karen's Café. Deb was standing behind the counter setting up the desserts.

"Why is that?" Skills asked closing the door behind him.

"Because I'm been writing a little bit of poetry myself," Haley said, taking a seat at one of the tables.

Deborah Lee laughed at that, which caught Skills and Haley's attention.

Determined, Haley responds, " Should I say a few lines, should I should I?"

Both Deb and Skills nodded their head for her to go on.

"What heartache I have gone through for thee," she began. "What heartache I have gone through for thee," she repeated for emphasis. "On one end I have Skills and on the other Deborah Lee." Haley burst out laughing at the end of her little couplet. Deb and Skills failed to see the humor.

"Do you two know that today's newspapers have a picture of my boss and his son," Deb said proudly looking at the local Tree Hill newspaper for the twenty third time.

"Really?! Can I see!" Haley asked as she got up from her seat at the table and ran to the counter.

"No no no! You're hands are dirty! Wash them first," Deb said holding the paper close to her chest.

Haley just rolled her eyes at Deb's antics.

"Tomorrow is Dan Scott's forty fifth birthday" Deb continued. "There's going to be a big party over at the Scott mansion and there are a lot of people invited and so many of them are coming and bringing their own guests. And Karen made it perfectly clear that all the desserts and the cake for the party are coming from Karen's Café. And I convinced her to let you make most of them!" Deb said excitedly.

"Really!" Haley said happily. Even before she worked at Karen's Café, she would constantly be there with Deb and Karen watching them and looking at all the delicious food they were serving. She would go home and try to re create their delicious pastries and pies, but they would always end disastrously. Once she began working there, she immediately learned all the recipes and was able to duplicate them as well as Karen could.

"Now make sure you don't mess things up missy!" Deb warned. "You and Skills can both come to the party and deliver everything okay? Skills will drive you right?" she said looking over to him as he nodded his head 'yes.'

"Of cou---- Oh no! But tomorrow is Daddy's birthday too! We're throwing him a party here!" Haley said worried.

"So what? Come to the Scott party a little late." Deb said easily relieving Haley's mini crisis. "It's the Scotts, their parties don't start till late and don't end till way later," Deb said jokingly. "Please dress appropriately for tomorrow!" Deb said as she gathered her things and put the newspaper down on the counter and left Karen's Café. She lived right across the street in a small apartment right in the middle of Tree Hill. It was time for Haley's shift to almost begin, so Deb decided she would take a little break. She could feel a slight headache coming on anyway. "I'll be back in an hour too, keep the place closed until then!"

Haley watched Deb leave and waved goodbye to her. She got off her seat by the counter and sat down at the table she was previously at with Skills.

"I'm going to wear my really funky suit!" Skills said talking about what he's planning to wear to the Scott party.

"Oh you know you have to!" Haley began "Because everyone is going to be wondering what Skills Taylor is wearing." She ended sarcastically.

Skills rolled his eyes at her antics and looked down at his watch to see what time it was, "Oh crap!"

"What?"

"I have to pick up something from the grocery store for dinner, completely forgot. Mom's going to kill me," Skills said getting up from his seat quickly, "I told Justin to come to Karen's Café," he said as he began making his way to the door, "So just keep him entertained until I get back!" Skills got out before he ran out the door.

Haley stared at the spot Skills once occupied, "Oh! I can't wait to meet him!"

* * *

Nathan Scott parked his car on a random street in the center of Tree Hill. It had taken him a half hour, but he was finally able to find parking about four blocks away from his intended destination. This was one of the reasons he hated coming down to the heart of Tree Hill.

"Nate! Where are we?" Lucas asked. He rarely ever actually saw the entirety of Tree Hill, so being here right now for him was a little weird. He saw the hustle and bustle of small town Tree Hill. There was traffic on the streets and the sidewalks. Kids were playing and adults were conversing; it was a completely different world to the ten year old boy.

"Shut up!" Nathan said as he opened the door to the driver's seat, "Ma sent us to give Deb the list of the desserts and stuff for Dad's party that YOU spilled the beans for! Ma said she'd be at the café, so you stay in the car, and I'll go hand them to her."

"But you can't just leave me here! What if I get kidnapped or someone tries to steal the car?!" Lucas whined.

"If anyone tries to take the car just offer yourself up, I rather like this car, don't really like you," Nathan said to his little brother as he started walking away. He has sunglasses on and has his signature smirk on his face. Now all he had to do was find the café in this mess of stores and people. He never understood his mother's need to own a café and run it herself, but he never questioned it. He rarely found himself there, so finding it was proving to be a little bit difficult. He rarely ever ventured to this part of town, like his brother. Peyton would bring him around here when she was showing him around, or they would drive by sometimes, but since most of his time was spent in Asheville, he didn't find himself around Tree Hill much.

Nathan Scott found himself jerked out of his thoughts as he turned a corner of a street and heard singing.

"_I know a little place in Caroline, but only after dark, so bring your gal and bring your wine, unwind from your day. Gee, don't you know that you're in for a show when you go to Karen's Café."_

Nathan's steps got a tad bit faster as he heard the name of his mother's business. Where in the world was this singing coming from? He heard the same lyrics from before but this time the piano playing had gotten a bit faster, and the singing just a smidge louder.

"_I know a little place in Caroline, but only after dark, so bring your gal and bring your wine, unwind from your day. Gee, don't you know that you're in for a show when you go to Karen's Café."_

Nathan instantly remembered that there was a piano in his mother's café. The last time he had been there he was surprised by its presence, and a thought arose in Nathan's head. Could the music be coming from there? From the looks of where he was heading that was feasible because the music and the voice were coming from the same direction as where Karen's Café was supposed to be. As Nathan came to this realization he started speed walking, as the singing continued.

"_I've been up, down, all around, looking for a place to spend my nights. I don't wanna give it away, I don't want everybody crowding up my space. But I believe in sharing when you find a good thing, it's only common sense. Nobody likes to do it alone." _

By this point Nathan could hear the voice and the piano playing very clearly. He was only a few storefronts away from reaching Karen's Café and the origin of the music he was hearing. Nathan wasn't a music freak, not like Peyton was, but he did know a good voice when he could hear, and this damn well sounded like an angel singing. Nathan's music taste usually ranged from rap to hip hop, but for some reason this song and that voice was capturing his attention. He shrugged it off as being because the song was about his mother's café, but he couldn't drop the feeling that it was about something else as well.

"_It's dark and warm and candlelit, the perfect hideaway, but only if it, shh, stays a secret. Don't be shy, now come on by, come hear the band play. Gee, don't you know that you're in for a show, when you go to Karen's Café."_

At this point Nathan had finally reached Karen's Café which was indeed the origin of the music he was hearing. He tenderly walked up the steps to the door, afraid that if he was too loud the music and that voice would go away. He gently opened the door to the café, as it made a jingly noise that signaled the entrance of a customer, but the young woman sitting at the piano hadn't heard anyone walk in as she continued to sing her heart out. She was in the midst of a piano solo with her vocalizing at random points in the song. Nathan stood by the door, completely still and completely mesmerized. He could only see the side of her face, and most of even that was covered by her flowing blonde hair. The sunlight poured in through the glass of the storefront seemingly encircling the piano and the girl playing. Her hair was reflecting the sun, and all Nathan could do was stare. The girl obviously had no idea that anyone had walked in or that anyone was listening to her singing, so she continued with her song, and Nathan wouldn't have it any other way.

"_I've been up, down, all around, looking for a place to spend my nights. I don't wanna give it away, I don't want everybody crowding up my space. But I believe in sharing when you find a good thing, it's only common sense. Nobody likes to do it alone." _

Nathan couldn't help but start tapping along to the rhythm of the song. He had to hand it to the girl, it was quite a catchy song. He felt himself smiling wide. There was something about this girl sitting in front of him that was making him happy. Nathan shook his head, no that couldn't be it. It was just the song, that's what it was. He continued to quietly stand at the door as the mysterious girl in front of him finished up her song.

"_So if you see my little place in Caroline don't tell your mother, brother, sister Sally, or uncle Joe. Just bring your gal and bring your wine, unwind from your day. Gee, don't you know that you're in for a show when you go, go, go, ohhhhhh. Gee, don't you know that you're in for a show when you go to the Karen's Café"_

With the big finish, which was indeed big, the girl sat still at the piano, all Nathan could see was that she had a wide smile on her face, one that matched his own. He was scared out of his stare when the phone to his mother's café rang. He watched as the girl jumped as well, and ran to the counter picking up the phone, "Karen's Café." She answered. At this point all Nathan could see was the back of her head and still hadn't gotten a look at her face, which he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed about. Nathan decided he better leave before the girl noticed that he had been standing there the entire time, but something wasn't allowing his feet to make any movement, and he stood there as the girl who was singing mere seconds ago involved herself in a very animated conversation on the phone.

* * *

"Where has Nathan gone?" Lucas Scott found him walking around Tree Hill's main street like his brother had been doing previously. He was getting bored waiting in the car all by himself, so he decided to venture out into the unknown territory of Tree Hill that he had never seen before. He looked around in awe as to the sights around him. He continued walking not noticing a sneaky ten year old girl named Brook Davis and her friends who were currently following him.

* * *

Haley James finished her phone conversation with Fergie, and walked behind the counter of Karen's Café. Her back was still to the door and she still hadn't noticed the tall raven haired boy standing in the doorway. She took the coffee pot and began the process of preparing Karen's Café's signature coffee.

Nathan Scott watched slightly amazed at the girl's lack of attention to her surroundings. She still hadn't noticed that he was standing there. He could hear her softly humming the song she had just sang to herself. Nathan moved his elbow a bit which caused the door he was holding open to move which resulted in a jingle from the bell which signaled someone's entrance into the café.

"Sorry! Karen's Café is closed, it's going to open in an hour though!" Haley said turning around to address the new customer, but not getting a good look at him.

"Uh, okay?" Nathan responded deciding it would be best if he left.

Suddenly Haley came to a realization, and her eyes went big and wide, "Justin!" she exclaimed, and turned around excitedly.

"Uh? What?" Nathan said turning around again getting a full look at the girl's face. She was gorgeous. He was completely blown away. Her blonde hair framed her face perfectly. There was a mischievous smile on her face, which he thought looked incredibly cute on her, and her smile reached up to her eyes. He couldn't help but stare. Who was this girl? She seemed to be happy he was there and continued to smile at him and stare, so all Nathan could do was the same.

"Can I recite something?" the girl asked out of nowhere very excitedly, without waiting for a response she continued, "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore. While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. `'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -Only this, and nothing more.'" Haley finished excitedly. She couldn't help but notice that Skills' cousin Justin was quite handsome. He was really tall, and from what she could tell he had the most gorgeous of eyes.

"Uh, what?" Nathan asked confused. What was going on? Why was she reciting poetry to him?

Haley looked a little downtrodden, "Not a Poe fan I see?" she said jokingly. "Alright let me hear one of yours then!"

* * *

"Look a pigeon!" Three young boys, about the same age as Lucas Scott screamed at Lucas. He was still exploring the strange parts of Tree Hill he was unfamiliar with, and it had seemed that he had gotten the attention of some of the children there. The three boys had been following him for a good three minutes now, screaming out random things that kept on catching Lucas off guard.

As unaware Lucas looked up at the sky looking for this pigeon that the boys were pointing at, he didn't realize he was being pulled into a trap. He took a few more seconds to see if this pigeon would appear and then gave up starting to walk again, the three boys still hot on his tail. All he could think was that this place was weird. He had is signature Lucas Scott brooding and deep in thought look on his face as he tried to continue his adventure around Tree Hill. Before Luke could take another step forward, he was stopped in his tracks.

"Oye! Broody!" A girl suddenly appeared in front of him, and Lucas was at a dead end. "You can't enter Tree Hill!"

Brooke Davis took a stand, with the three boys who were previously following Lucas, flocking her side. She stood in front of the chubby outsider defiantly. It was like taking candy from a baby.

"Why?" Lucas asked shakily, he was a little afraid, but his voice was mostly unsteady because this girl standing in front of him had caught him off guard. Plus, Luke, being the possessor of a young and imaginative brain, his thoughts were running wild. Four against one, the possibilities were endless. Plus, this girl kind of looked scary just a little bit. He should have just listened to his brother and stayed in the car. On top of all this he was craving a Kit-Kat.

"You just can't!" Brooke said confidently. She could already see the uneasiness starting to creep into his eyes, "And if you want to walk around Tree Hill freely then you have to say this: 'How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood.' And say it fast! Say it!"

* * *

"Exactly what do you want me to say?" Nathan asked extremely confused. Haley had made her way around the counter and was now standing right next to Nathan waiting expectantly for him to recite poetry to her.

Haley turned to him laughing, he sure was a funny character, "Alright nevermind! Don't say anything, can I say another one?"

Nathan nodded his head, smiling slightly at the girl's obvious excitement, but still wondering why they were reciting poetry. Who had his mother hired?

"This love is not so easy, just understand this much. It's but a trial of fire, that must be crossed bravely," she finished looking at him for his approval.

All Nathan could do was look right back at her, what was the hell was going on? He saw that she was waiting for some sort of reaction, so he decided in that moment that clapping would probably the best thing to do, so he did. This seemed to cause the girl to smile wider and join in the clapping as well.

"You really liked it?"

"Uh yeah?"

* * *

"Umm…wood….would….chuck….uh what was it," Lucas said looking like he was a tad bit constipated, but it was only the fact that four kids, including a very intimidating girl, were surrounding him and laughing at his inability to say the tongue twister correctly. "I don't know!" he exclaimed finally giving up, which caused Brooke and her friends to laugh at him.

Lucas Scott had found himself in quite a bind, as the three boys and Brooke continued to circle him and point and laugh.

* * *

Haley looked at Nathan as if she was a lion and he was her prey. Nathan was a tad bit unnerved by the stare he was getting from her. This situation was getting weirder and weirder.

"You came to see me didn't you?" Haley said saddling up close to Nathan and raising her eyebrows at him. She was convinced that the person she was currently talking to was Justin, Skills' cousin.

And Nathan was convinced the person he was currently talking to was a tad bit mentally unstable, "Uh, no actually I came to see DB," he responded calling Deb by her nickname.

Haley squealed, she was excited to finally meet Skills' cousin and he was proving to be quite entertaining. She slapped him on the arm as she said, "Is that a nickname or something?"

"Of course," Nathan responded matter of factly, "She did help raise me and take care of me since I was born." He was talking about Deb of course.

"You said she! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Haley laughed quite obnoxiously, "So _she_ brought you up huh? Well then I must have been brought up by _her_ too!" She said laughing very loudly. In her head, Haley thought Justin was making fun of his cousin Skills so she joined in on the joke.

* * *

Lucas Scott stood up as straight as he possibly could looking very tense and extremely terrified, "How much wood…..would a…..woodchuck…..Look! A pigeon!" Lucas interrupted. This seemed to distract his enemies long enough for him to run away as quickly as he could.

Brooke Davis and her friends looked up at the sky at this imaginary pigeon, and hurriedly realized it was all a ploy, "Catch him!" Brooke commanded as her and her friends ran after Lucas.

* * *

"I can't believe you call Skills a she!" Haley said still not being to get over it.

"You call her Skills?" Nathan asked awfully confused. Why would anyone call Deborah Lee 'Skills?'

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! See there you go with the 'her' again! You're quite a riot! You're so funny, no wonder Skills can never stop talking about you!" Haley said as she elbowed him, "And you know what you're kind of cute too!" She said pinching Nathan's left cheek.

* * *

"Nathan! NATHAN!" Lucas yelled as he ran down the streets of Tree Hill, turning random corners and running as fast as he could, "NATHAN HELP ME!" he screamed as he turned around to see if the scary predators were still behind him. He caught sight of Brooke and her companions and started speeding up to the best of his ability trying to get as far away from them as possible.

* * *

"I can't wait to tell Skills that I definitely approve of Justin. You're awesome! A poet and a comedian! Who woulda thunk!" Haley said as she slapped Nathan's shoulder again.

Nathan laughed slightly from Haley's sheer happiness; he couldn't help it she was like a little kid when the ice cream truck was coming around. She was clapping her hands excitedly and laughing and smiling, "Uh excuse me?"

Haley turned around, a wide smile still on her face.

"Who's this Justin?" Nathan asked sincerely.

Haley's face dropped for a second before she burst out laughing. She had to bend over because her stomach was hurting from all the laughing she was doing, "Hahahaha, you're asking…..ahahahahaha…..who…..ahahaha ….Justin is?" she asked between laughs, "You have such a great sense of humor! So funny!" she said hitting him once more.

Nathan could only join in the contagious laughter, as he returned a light smack to her shoulder, which made her respond with a punch to his shoulder, which made him return a hit, as they went back and forth.

* * *

"Do you know where Karen's Café is?!" Lucas asked frantically to random strangers walking the streets as he ran by them. He was getting desperate, he needed his big brother's help and he needed it now. Actually, he didn't even care about his brother, he just wanted some shelter to keep safe from the hooligans that were currently running after him and he was pretty sure there was a Kit-Kat waiting for him in the car. "Someone please HELP ME!" he said as he was about to turn a corner, which didn't turn out to be such a good idea.

"Found him!" Brooke said proudly as she looked at her prey square in the eyes, and her friends quickly surrounded him making sure he had no chance of escaping them again.

* * *

"Oh, I feel so stupid, you've been standing at the door this entire time!" Haley said noticing that they hadn't moved from their place by the door, "Come on, come sit on the counter."

Nathan followed dutifully, taking a seat on one of the bar stools, as Haley sat down next to him.

"So this is Karen's Café!" she said gesturing to the entirety of the café, "It's where I work, and where Skills and I spend most of our time. Oh and it's where Deb works too. She's actually like co owner of the place or something. The actual person that owns it is Karen Scott. Deb and her are good friends, actually, when Deb isn't working here, she works at Mrs. Scott's house, " Haley rambled.

Nathan was trying to interrupt and say that he knew this, but Haley wouldn't allow it, "Big people big businesses," she said mostly to herself, "Have you heard of the Scotts?" she asked but didn't even wait for his answer, "Of course you must have heard of them! They're known up and down the east coast!" Haley continued to ramble not noticing that Nathan had something to say.

Haley got up from her seat and walked over to the newspaper that Deb had left behind, "Ya know, they're actually in today's paper," she said.

"Really?" Nathan said amused, and finally able to get a word in.

"Yep yep, have you seen it?" she said bringing the newspaper over to Nathan.

"No…" Nathan answered the smile on his face growing wider.

"Oh I'll show it to you!" Haley said excitedly as she reached Nathan.

"Of course I haven't seen it, I don't really read newspapers," Nathan said sarcastically, but it went over Haley's head completely.

"Here" she said unfolding the newspaper on the counter and pointing to it, "Dan Scott," she pointed out to Nathan, "A big snob."

"Absolutely," Nathan said clearly amused and enjoying the turn the conversation had taken.

"And this is his son" she said as she picked up the newspaper, "Oh wait, wow," Haley said looking closely at the picture of Dan and Nathan Scott and then looking over to boy who was sitting next to her, "You look exactly like him!"

"Really?" Nathan said feigning intrigue, "Let me see."

Suddenly recognition dawned on Haley James' face. Uh oh. She looked from the picture to the boy to the picture to the boy. "Uh oh. Oh no, oh no oh no oh no" she said as she continued to look back and forth between the newspaper and the boy standing in front of her, "I am so dead."

Nathan was the one laughing loudly this time, quite loudly, as Haley put her head down on the counter repeating "I am so dead" over and over again.

"Oh don't worry, I won't kill you," Nathan said smugly, as Haley looked up expectantly, "You just have such a great sense of humor! You're so funny!" Nathan said mimicking Haley's earlier words and smirking at her.

"NATHAN!" Lucas yelled having finally found Karen's Café and running in, "NATHAN!"

Both Nathan and Haley turned around staring at the chubby ten year old who was in quite a panic.

"There are GOONS chasing after me!" he said scared for his life, "I need to get out of here or else they're going to find me!" he screamed before running out of Karen's Café. "Help! Heeeeeeeelp!"

"Oye! Luke!" Nathan yelled but to no avail, he was gone. Nathan turned to Haley who had an expression of absolute dread on her face, "That was my lovely younger brother," he said, "Quite a character isn't he?"

All Haley could do was chuckle quietly, she was currently scared for her own existence. Nathan got up from his seat at the counter after a moment of silence and started walking towards the exit, as Haley once again put her head down on the counter, silently screaming at herself for being such a moron. Nathan stopped as he opened the door, standing in the doorway and holding the door open he turned around looking at Haley as she was slumped on the bar stool.

"Hey," he said quietly.

Haley tentatively looked up at him afraid of what he was going to say.

Nathan simply gave her a small smile, "You really are funny." With that Nathan turned his back to her walked out the door.

Haley watched him leave, her eyes slightly wide from his comment. All she could do was stare. She was in a state of shock, how in the world has she managed to screw up that bad. She continued to stare at the spot Nathan Scott had once occupied. What in the world had just happened? As her gaze stayed on the door, her thoughts drifted to everything that had just taken place. She was just talking to Nathan Scott, THE Nathan Scott, son of Dan Scott, who she had just called a big snob. Haley put her head back down on the counter. Epic. Fail. She heard the jingle of the bell telling her that someone had walked into the door. She looked up hoping to god that it was not Nathan Scott.

"Hi, I'm Justin, Skills' cousin," the stranger said smiling.

"And I'm the Queen of England!"

_I never knew just what it was_

_About this old coffee shop I love so much_

_All of the while I never knew_

_All of the while it was you_


	8. Fight For Your Right To Party

**Chapter Eight – Fight For Your Right to Party**

_The party's just begun, we'll let you in_

_You drive us wild, we'll drive you crazy_

_You keep on shoutin', you keep on shoutin'_

_I wanna rock and roll all nite and party every day_

The Scott Mansion was filled to the brim. There were people gathered everywhere in the grand ballroom of the mansion. Ten crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling lighting up the entire room. There were literally people on every square inch of the humungous ball room. People were standing by the buffet, munching on the delicious catered food that Karen Scott had meticulously made sure was perfect. Some were standing near the walls of the room which were filled with sophisticated decorations. They stood with their champagne glasses filled enveloped in conversation with those around them. Little cliques and groups had formed, as everyone was walking around greeting everyone else and partaking in high society socializing. Most of the population was standing on the ballroom dance floor, not dancing, merely standing and partaking in conversation. In the front of the ballroom hung a very big sign announcing the occasion for so many people to be gathered together. "Happy Birthday Dan Scott" it read in big bold letters grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. Right under the banner was the band Karen had picked out with the help of Mae Scott, Dan's mother. They were currently playing soft jazzy music, helping with the noise that was already filling the room. People of all ages and sizes had gathered together for this particular event. The men dressed in tailored suits, mostly Armani or some other brand name, while the women were in elegant dresses, showing off this season's colors and trends. One shouldered dresses to halter tops, this party had it all. Little children were running around playing tag and munching on the food.

Suddenly the band stopped playing and a young female voice filled the room, "Happy Birthday to you." Everyone's attention turned to the front of the hall, including Dan Scott, who was standing tall and proud in his perfectly tailored all black suit. Dan, the birthday boy, had been speaking to some of his business partners with Larry Sawyer by his side. "Happy Birthday to you," Peyton Sawyer continued to say into the microphone. She was standing at the head of hall in a beautiful white dress that framed her tiny figure perfectly. Her hair was straight, not its usually curly self, and she spoke directly to Dan Scott. "Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you," she spoke wearing a wide smile on her face as she walked towards Dan Scott and her father, who was near the front of the crowd.

"Thank you my dear," Dan said as he gave Peyton a hug and everyone started clapping.

"Excuse me," another voice started. This time it was a male voice and his voice was accompanied by the tapping of his glass. Dan, Larry, and Peyton turned to the voice and saw it was Nathan trying to get the attention of the crowd and his father.

"Excuse me please," he said once again. Nathan stood taller than his father, also in an all black suit made perfectly for him. He mirrored his father exactly in that moment. Standing tall and looking like a true Scott. No one would have guessed Nathan Scott was actually adopted from the looks of it. He had Dan's raven hair and he definitely had the Scott presence. "Before I raise this toast to my father," he began raising his water filled glass in his father's direction, "I would like to say something to everyone." Now Nathan wasn't the most articulate of people, but this was extremely important to him, so through his nervousness he continued on, "Since I was a little, I had a dream that I would be just like my Dad. I wanted to walk like him and talk like him and sit like him, just to do everything the way he does. Like the way he's standing right now," Nathan said as he positioned himself like his father, left hand in his pant pocket and right hand holding his glass.

Dan and Peyton laughed at Nathan's antics, as did the rest of the crowd.

"I've tried for the longest time to get it right, but I can't do it. I know I can't," Nathan continued, "And you know what I might never be able to be like him because there's no one in this world like Dan Scott." At this point one could see the tears that were forming in Nathan Scott's eyes. He wasn't one for crying or showing emotion, but when he thought about how Dan and Karen had adopted him, he couldn't help but get emotional.

Dan Scott looked at his son in that moment, green eyes meeting blue ones, both of them a tad bit watery from the tears that were begging to escape them.

"I know that someone up there must really like me," Nathan said looking up towards the ceiling, "Because someone gave me the privilege of saying that I am Dan Scott's son, and I can say that with so much pride. Thank you Dad," Nathan said the last words without a whisper but his father heard him as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"And today, Dad, me and the three most beautiful women in the world," Nathan said trying to lighten the serious mood that the party was now in as he walked over to a group of three women standing together, "Mae Scott, Karen Scott, Deborah Lee, and FATTY!" he said as he pointed out his grandmother, his mother, Deb, and his brother, Lucas.

"Nathan!" Mae, Karen, and Deb scolded all at once as Lucas put a pout on his face, as the crowd laughed at the nickname.

"We would just like you to know that we all love you very much," he said standing behind the three women and his brother, "And Happy Birthday!"

Everyone applauded Nathan's speech as Dan Scott looked over at his family staring lovingly at him. "Look what he's done to me," he said looking down at Peyton Sawyer as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The band started playing again and the music was very upbeat and fun, as Dan Scott announced, "Let the party begin!"

As if on cue people began to start grooving to the music that filled the hall and the party indeed did begin. Dan Scott took a hold of Peyton's hand and decided to show off his dancing skills as he performed his own version of the twist. Nathan Scott and his mother Karen Scott looked on laughing at Dan's antics. Now Nathan knew why he couldn't dance. Lucas Scott had found his way to the buffet table and was currently munching on some buffalo wings, as he watched everyone dancing and having a good time. After finishing the buffalo wing he had in his hand, his other hand dug deep into his pant pocket as he pulled out a Kit-Kat bar and began munching on it. People were heading towards the bar ordering drinks, while others were enjoying themselves on the dance floor, forming their own dance moves to the music the band was playing. Dan Scott attempted to shimmy his way over to his wife, but it ended up looking like he was having a seizure which only made Karen burst out into laughter.

"You're going to have to get me another drink before I'm caught dead dancing with you," she said before placing a soft kiss upon her husband's lips.

Peyton Sawyer laughed at the exchange between husband and wife.

"Dance with me," she heard a voice from behind her. She turned to face Nathan who was giving her his all powerful smirk.

"Nathan, you don't dance," she said seriously. It was true, he didn't dance. He hated dancing, mostly because he looked like a monkey on drugs doing it.

"Well, I owe you for the last party, so come on just dance with me before I change my mind," he said offering his hand. Peyton took it smiling as they began dancing to the upbeat song the band had just started playing. Nathan's moves could only be described as jerky at best, but Peyton was having a good time nonetheless.

* * *

Karen's Café was definitely getting a lot of business tonight, as the place was hustling and bustling with people. The only thing was that Karen's Café was closed tonight, it was reserved for Keith James' birthday party. It wasn't as lavish as a Scott party, and it certainly wasn't as crowded as one, but Keith James had invited close friends and his beloved family to his forty-fifth birthday party. The tables and chairs that usually crowded the floor were pushed aside, as people were mingling and walking up the guest of honor. Keith James stood by the counter of the café taking in his surroundings, there were streamers everywhere and balloons were strategically placed throughout the café. A big "Happy Birthday Daddy" banner was placed above the door, and Keith smiled at the sign that was definitely made by Brooke Davis. Haley wasn't the artistic daughter, and the banner had Brooke written all over it. There was a singular table that was filled with bowls of popcorn and a variety of chips. Haley and Brooke and worked together to make cookies for the occasion. There were two pies sitting on the table as well as a small chocolate cake at the center of the table. Brooke had made some appetizers for the guests to munch on, mostly cheese and crackers, which was all the ten year old knew how to make well.

It was a sharp contrast to the extravagant party taking place in the Scott Mansion, but that didn't matter. All Keith James needed was his daughters to be happy on his birthday. Brooke sat right by his side, not wanting to leave her surrogate father's side. Haley James on the other hand was walking around with Skills making sure everyone was having a good time.

"I think you've stalled enough, Haley!" Skills said pushing his friend over to the piano that was sitting in the corner of the café.

"Skills!" Haley whined, as he sat her down by the piano gave her a pat on the back.

"AHEM!" Skills said trying to get the attention of the folks that were gathered in Karen's Café, but it didn't seem to work, "YO PEOPLE LISTEN UP!" That did seem to work, as everyone turned their attention to Skills Taylor. "Alright, Haley, take it away."

"Uh, hi," Haley said nervously to everyone. She caught a glance of her father and Brooke and gathered the confidence she needed. "This is for you Daddy," Haley closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She started playing the piano and sang her very own rendition of the Happy Birthday song for her father.

"Happy Birthday Daddy! I love you!" she said as she finished the song and ran over to her father and her sister. She sat on the other side of her father and gave him a hug. Everyone clapped and hollered at Haley's performance and the affection that was clear for her father.

As Haley was cuddling up to her father, and hugging him tightly, Fergie plugged in the boombox into an outlet and let the music from the radio take over the café. Everyone's attention turned to the center of Karen's Café as Fergie joined his compatriots, Junk and Skills, and started doing a crazy dance involving their hands being in the air and their hips swaying simultaneously in the same direction.

"Happy Birthday Keith!" they all screamed in sync as they continued their laugh which caused Keith and all the guests to laugh at the wackiness of the teenage boys' behavior.

"Hey! My dance! I'm taking part in it!" she said as she rushed over to her three best friends and joined in the dance. Laughter filled all of the café and so did a sense of fun and happiness as everyone enjoyed themselves.

* * *

Back at the Scott House, Peyton Sawyer stood next to Karen Scott involved in a deep conversation with her about all the party planning and how Lucas had ruined the surprise. Peyton laughed at Karen's stories and anecdotes, as the band started playing a very quick paced song. Their attention turned to the three males in front of them.

Nathan Scott, Dan Scott, and Lucas Scott stood in front of them. All three of them attempting to do the twist and failing miserably. Scott men could not dance. Nathan and Lucas looked at Dan for instruction on how to do the dance properly, as Dan looked helplessly at his wife.

Karen and Peyton tried to hold in their laughter at the sight of the Scott men and their lack of dancing ability. Tears were beginning to form in their eyes from how hard they were laughing.

"Ah, don't mind them!" Dan said continuing to shake his hips in a very awkward manner, "They're just jealous of our dancing abilities!"

Nathan laughed at his father's antics and his laughing caused his eyes to turn towards the front of the hall where the band was playing. His sight landed on a piano that was sitting at the corner of the ballroom. His dancing stopped as he took a step closer to the piano. There was no one playing it, but all Nathan could picture was the piano that was sitting at Karen's Café and a blonde haired girl sitting on it and playing it and singing her heart out. He shook his head, knowing his mind was playing games on him, but he still couldn't shake the picture of the girl playing the piano. Ever since he had laid eyes on her, his heart had started to beat faster. He had blamed on the fact that he was practically running to find the owner of the voice, but he knew he was just living in denial. He couldn't help but wonder what this crazy girl had done to him.

"Hey," Nathan was knocked out of his thoughts and the image of a blonde playing a piano when Peyton came up to him and caught his attention.

"Hey," he said back to her.

"Your parents are so silly," she said looking over at them. Nathan followed her gaze as he witnessed his father's lame attempts to get his mother to dance with him. Nathan smiled at that. The band ended the song they were playing, as a slower and slightly more romantic song came on. Peyton turned her attention to Nathan, preparing herself to ask him to dance with her.

"May I have this dance?" Dan Scott asked. "My wife refuses to be seen with me at my own birthday party, so will you dance with me Peyton?" Dan asked Peyton.

Peyton nodded happily, slightly disappointed she wasn't dancing with Nathan, but still having a good time as Dan attempted to teach her how to waltz. Dan twirled her around playfully. Dan looked at Peyton as the daughter he never had, and Peyton looked at Dan Scott as her second father.

Nathan watched them dancing as he walked towards his mother who was also watching her husband and smiling wide. It was his birthday and he seemed to be having a wonderful time. Mission accomplished.

"He quite the dancer," Karen remarked as Nathan reached her.

"Eh, I can do better," Nathan said taking a sip of water.

Karen looked up at her eldest son and laughed, "Oh?"

"Yes," Nathan said taking a hold of his mother's hand, "Let's give them a run for their money." He finished as Karen and her son began dancing around the ballroom joining the other couples.

The youngest Scott boy watched as his father and his brother danced across the ballroom floor, and he pouted at his lack of dance partner. Lucas spotted his Nanny Deb and quickly made his way over to her.

"DB!" Luke exclaimed as he reached her, "Will you dance with me! Everyone else is dancing and I want to dance," he said giving her his best puppy dog face.

All Deb could do was laugh as she took a hold of Lucas and started slow dancing with him, "Come on you!"

* * *

Fergie, Skills, and Haley James still had the attention of the entirety of Karen's Café as they continued dancing and fooling around. Junk was sitting on the sidelines. He had suffered a dance induced injury and laughed as his friends continued to dance crazily.

Haley stopped dancing as she stood still and took deep breaths because she was out of breath from dancing so much.

"What are you doing?!" Fergie asked incredulously, as if Haley had committed some sort of crime.

"I'm tired!" Haley whined putting both her hands on her knees and bending down.

"They're dropping like flies," Skills said to Fergie, "It's up to us to keep this going!" he said as they both continued to dance, and were joined by other bystanders and wallflowers.

Haley made her way over to her father who had a huge grin on her face.

"You can sing wonderfully dearest daughter, but your dancing can use some improvement," he said laughing.

"Oh yeah you try it if you're so great!" she challenged taking a seat on one of the bar stools and taking a big gulp of water.

"Yeah?" Keith James asked.

"Yes, I double doggie dare you!" Haley said acting as if she was seven all over again.

"Well, if you double doggie dare me," Keith said getting up from his spot as he mocked Haley's words, "Come on honey!" Keith yelled as he picked up Brooke and swung her around. Brooke squealed in excitement and shock as her father twirled her around in the air and brought her to wear the rest of the party guests were dancing and swaying their hips. Haley looked on as her father started swing dancing with Brooke, and laughed. Haley James had put a lot of work into making sure her father's birthday was a success and from the laughter that was coming from his direction and the smile that was spread wide across his face Haley knew that her hard work had paid off. Keith James was Haley's father and her heart and her soul. To her, her father was heaven and earth all in one. She looked at her father now dancing with Brooke Skills and Fergie, and a scary thought entered her head. She remembered the doctor's words of warning and Haley couldn't help but let tears form in her eyes. She didn't want to think of life with her father. She didn't want to know what it was like to live without him around. A tiny tear rolled down her cheek as she brushed it away quickly. She was most definitely her father's daughter, and she loved him deeply.

Haley quickly brushed off her thoughts and got up from her seat now that she had caught her breath and joined her family and closest friends as they danced. She went over to her father giving him a warm hug that he returned deeply.

"Haley!" Skills said grabbing her attention.

Haley released her father from the hug and looked impatiently at her best friend, "What?"

"The time! We have to go drop off the desserts and the cake to the Scotts!" Skills said grabbing a hold of Haley's arm and dragging her into the kitchen of Karen's Café.

"Oh right!" she realized as she quickly emptied the fridge that contained all of the baked goods Karen Scott had ordered for her party.

They quickly loaded the food up into the back seat of Skills car, and Haley double checked making sure she had gotten everything and that all the food was in its proper containers and that nothing would happen to it on the drive over to the Scott Mansion.

"Give me thirty seconds!" she screamed to Skills as he started up the car and she ran back into the café.

"Hey Dad!" she said pushing through some people to reach her father, "I'm going with Skills to drop off the food, I'll be back in a little bit. Will you be okay here?" she asked worried.

"Haley Bop, I'll be fine!" Keith remarked, "Just hurry back so we can have the cake you and Brooke made," he said with a wink.

Haley gave her father a quick smile before she bolted out the door and got into Skills' car.

"Everything set?" he asked.

"Yep, pedal to the medal boy!" Haley shouted as they both drove off in the direction of the Scott House.

* * *

"Don't you think you've had enough for one night dear?" Karen asked as her husband took another sip of his alcoholic beverage and started dancing again. It was Dan Scott's birthday and Dan Scott would do whatever he pleased.

"Come on that's enough," she said as she took the glass from his hand and placed it back on the table and started to walk away.

Dan Scott stared at his wife and her retreating form. The music had started to play softer and softer until there was only a faint sound left of it. He could tell his wife was slightly upset with him, and an idea popped into his head.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking and the thing is I love you," he said meaning every word he was saying.

Karen Scott stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, looking at him slightly confused with her head cocked to the side, "What?"

Most of the party guests attentions were on Dan and Karen Scott and their current exchange. Nathan found his place next to Peyton Sawyer as they too were intrigued by what was going on between husband and wife.

Dan started walking over to his wife a big smiling forming on his face, "I love you." He stated simply.

Karen laughed, immediately recognizing what Dan was doing, "How do you expect me to respond to this?" she countered. Her husband was pulling out the big guns for this one. Dan was currently quoting _When Harry Met Sally_ to his wife. It happened to be his wife's favorite movie, and Dan knew that this little stunt he was pulling worked on her every time.

Dan finally reached his wife and looked down at her giving her his own signature Scott smirk, "How about you love me too." He offered.

"How about, I'm leaving," she said repeating line for line exactly from the movie. She turned around pretending to walk away again, but she felt Dan catch a hold of her hand and pull her back.

"I love that you get cold when its seventy one degrees out," he started reciting Harry's big speech from the movie, "I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night."

All Karen could do was laugh and smile at her husband's antics, he always knew how to get her smiling and get her to stop being mad at him.

Dan smiled right back "And uh, it's not because I'm lonely…..uh and it's not….uh" Dan Scott looked at his wife apologetically. It seemed that he had forgotten the last few lines of the speech.

Karen Scott cocked an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to finish.

"Um, it's not because I'm lonely and it's not….uh…..what's the line!" Dan said out loud slightly frustrated he couldn't remember what the line was.

"And it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." A voice provided out of nowhere.

Dan and Karen Scott's attention, along with everyone else in the big ballroom, turned to the owner of the voice who had provided the last lines of the speech. There stood Haley James her eyes wide and her hands covering her mouth. Whoops. In a crowd filled with designer clothes and expensive quality, Haley James stood out like a sore thumb. She was wearing plain dark blue jeans with an old tee shirt, signaling to everyone that this was not where she belonged.

Deborah Lee looked over at Haley, and put her hand on her head knowing full well that Haley James would pull a stunt like this. She wasn't the only person that recognized the distinct sound of Haley James, Nathan Scott knew that voice as well, seeing that he had spent forty five minutes conversing with the owner of that very voice just yesterday.

Nathan's eyes followed everyone else's as he found his piano girl standing in the Scott ballroom in her plain clothes contrasting the Dior and Donna Karan dresses that were flooding the room. He followed Haley's every move as she stood their completely shock written all over her face.

"You crazy girl!" Skills whispered to Haley and grabbed her arm forcing her to move. Haley James still slightly in shock that her big mouth had managed to strike again began following her best friend out of the room. She ran into a woman and apologized quickly as she continued walking. Nathan started walking in the same direction as Haley was following her movements and heading in the same direction she was. Something was forcing him to do so; he was just mesmerized. He laughed as Haley apologized to yet another person for running into them. He could almost hear her repeating "I am so dead, I am so dead I am so dead" over and over again as her pace quickened, and he was reminded of the first time he heard her say these very words.

As Haley was making her way out of the room, dreadfully close the exit she looked up to see Nathan Scott staring at her. They made eye contact and locked eyes as Haley stopped dead in her tracks her eyes getting wider. Nathan smirked at her and winked, knowing that she had recognized him. Haley gasped, "Skills! That's the guy----" she said turning to start walking again but she could never finish her sentence as she had walked right into a table. The table held a beautiful antique vase that held roses in it and as she knocked in to the table it caused the vase to rock back and forth.

Haley looked at the vase praying to god that it would not fall, and just as she thought her prayers were answered… CRASH. The glass vase fell to the ground crushing into a million pieces the flowers dropping to the floor along with the shattered pieces of glass. Uh oh. She was so dead.

Nathan couldn't help but burst out laughing. It was the funnies thing he had ever seen, and he had to admit that he was definitely right when he had told his piano girl that she was indeed funny. Deb witnessed the entire incident as well, and covered her face with her hands. Typical. This was typical Haley James. She was the most uncoordinated person.

Haley looked at the broken glass on the floor to the faces of all the party guests who were now staring at her to the face of Nathan Scott who couldn't contain his laughter and to the guest of honor, Dan Scott. Her face mirrored that of a lost deer caught in the headlights.

"Uh, Happy Birthday, Mr. Scott?"

_You say it's your birthday  
It's my birthday too, yeah  
They say it's your birthday  
We're gonna have a good time  
I'm glad it's your birthday  
Happy birthday to you._


	9. If You Really Want To Be My Friend

I'd just like to thank everyone who left reviews and everyone whose favorite-d and read my story. I know this update took longer than it should have, but I had papers to do. It's the last month of school, it gets pretty tough... I'd just like to take some time to reply to the reviews I didn't get a chance to reply to...

**InDiAn** - Yep, its based on K3G, one of my fav Bollywood movies, and I'm glad you like it! :-D

**lucy** - You're definitely on the right track with your predictions... And Haley's my favorite character so I love writing her!

Please enjoy this chapter, and let me know what you think!

* * *

**Chapter Nine – If You Really Want To Be My Friend**

_But everybody thinks I'm weird_

_And I should have known_

_That it wouldn't be long_

_Until you, you've got me standing in an awkward position_

_With unwanted attention and a need for explanation_

With a Kit-Kat bar in one hand, Lucas Scott walked into the hallway of his home. The young boy was dressed in a very nice suit that was currently getting chocolate stains all over it, as Lucas chewed and chewed on his Kit-Kat bar. Today Lucas would be accompanying his father to work and the youngest Scott was very excited to be spending quality time with his father. He made his way over to his father, who was currently standing in the Scott Mansion's hallway speaking to his assistant Andrew about stock numbers and share prices. Lucas munched on his favorite food some more as he stood by his father's side trying to understand what his father was rambling on about. The ten year old's attention span only lasted for so long and he found himself looking around at his surroundings.

The majestic stairs of the Scott Household were looming behind him, and the grand entrance to his home was directly in front of him. On his one side was a very tall and very wide bookshelf. Some of the shelves held actual novels, while the others held framed family portraits and pictures of random family moments. Lucas couldn't help but smile at one picture of his brother and him as little kids. He turned his head a little and saw a glass table sitting on the opposite side of the hallway holding a beautiful glass vase with a gorgeous arrangement of roses. Lucas was slightly mesmerized by the roses; they were roses that his father had brought home for his mother just the other day. The chubby Scott looked up at his father, admiring him, but his attention was diverted to the door when three people walked through it.

Lucas smiled as he recognized the first person; it was DB, or well Nanny Deb, but Lucas' smile started to fade as he saw that she was not alone. Deborah Lee was dragging a very stubborn and a very unwilling Haley James behind her. Lucas tried to hold in a laugh that was threatening to escape at the sight in front of him. There was DB holding on tightly to Haley's left arm trying to pull her further inside the Scott Manor, but Haley was trying her best to stand her ground and not move. Unfortunately for Haley, she was failing miserably. Lucas' laugh was cut short as he finally recognized the third person who had walked into his home. There in front of him stood Brooke Davis, the girl that had tortured him just a few days ago. Lucas instinctively took a half step behind his father, hoping Brooke had not noticed him and wanting to hide so he wouldn't be seen.

"Excuse me, Sir?" Deborah Lee said tentatively. Dan Scott was still in deep conversation with his assistant about various business matters.

Dan Scott looked up from the file that Andrew was showing him and finally noticed that someone had entered his home. He gave Deb a gentle smile, but it was accompanied by a confused look as he looked at the two ladies that were also in his residence. Dan gave Andrew a look signaling that they would finish this conversation later as Andrew walked out the door.

Haley James stood behind Deborah Lee, looking anywhere but at THE Dan Scott. Brooke Davis stood close to the duo, taking in her surroundings and overall amazed at the vastness of the house she was currently standing in. Brooke's hazel eyes traveled all around taking in everything she could possibly see. It was quite different from the small house that Brooke lived in. She couldn't help but be taken back by it all.

Deb smiled at Dan, "This is Haley," she said, as Haley tentatively looked up at Dan Scott. Haley tried to smile at him, but her face looked more like a deer caught in the headlights. "She's here to apologize to you," Deb finished.

Dan looked at Deborah and this Haley girl perplexed, "Apologize for what?" It took a moment for Dan to understand what was going on. He took another look at Haley who was cowering behind Deb. Suddenly, it hit the eldest Scott; this was the girl from his birthday party. "Oh no no, that's not necessary," he said shaking his head.

Hearing Dan's indifference was all Haley needed to make a run for it. She immediately began to turn around and head straight for the exit, but was stopped by Deborah who instinctively reached for Haley's arm and grabbed it making sure Haley wasn't going anywhere. The defeat was apparent in Haley's eyes.

"No no," Deb said continuing her conversation with Dan, "How can you say that, Sir? She's caused such a big loss for you. She has to apologize to you!" Deb insisted, "You know she's actually quite clumsy. She's always knocking things down and breaking things. This one time…"

As Deborah started one of many stories about Haley's klutziness, Lucas finished his Kit-Kat bar. As he took his final bite, he made eye contact with Brook Davis who finally noticed Lucas' presence in the room. Immediately, a giant grin framed Brooke's face as she looked at Luke, who jumped farther behind his father, peeking out randomly to see Brooke making menacing faces at him.

"Wait, Deb!" Haley interrupted Deb's story, "Can I apologize?" Haley tried, not wanting Deb to embarrass Haley even more.

"Oh yes, of course of course," Deb stepped aside as Haley took a small step forward. Haley had made some progress instead of looking straight at the floor, her eyes were traveling all around the room, but not making eye contact with the great Dan Scott.

"Uh, Good Morning," Haley said trying to be as respectful as possible. Haley's face was not doing a good job of masking the immense amount of nervousness she was feeling. "You see sir," Haley began quite sincerely, "Whenever I hear movie lines, I get so caught up in them, and I start thinking that I'm some big Hollywood actress!" She said giggling to herself. "And that line from _When Harry Met Sally_ is one of my all time favorites! That's a good movie isn't it?"

Deborah Lee, who was now standing behind Haley could only put her head in hands and sigh. Typical Haley James.

"I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich," Haley began quoting the movie doing her best Harry Burns impression.

"Shh! Haley! Stop it!" Deb tried her best to quiet Haley's quoting.

All Dan Scott could do was continue giving this Haley girl a very confused look. What in the world was this girl going on and on about? As Dan stood there trying to comprehend what was occurring in front of him, and as Deb tried to keep Haley's ramblings under control, Brooke and Lucas continued their own silent battle. At that exact moment, Nathan Scott, was making his way past the hallway towards the kitchen on a mission to grab a bagel. Nathan walked by peaking into the hallway to see what the commotion was and walking merrily on by. It took just six seconds for Nathan to backtrack. All thoughts of food and hunger were gone from Nathan's mind as he saw what was happening in the hallway. Nathan Scott leaned on the entrance to the hallway, his arms crossed in front of him, and a very mischievous smirk on his face. Oh, this was going to be good.

"Haley! You came here to apologize, and now you're quoting move lines, AGAIN!" Deb tried to whisper, but everyone in the hallway was listening, "That's what got you into this mess in the first place!"

As Haley was trying to get Deb off her back her attention was turned to the figure currently standing behind Dan Scott. Nathan gave her his signature smirk, adding a wink in as well. Haley's face immediately turned into a scowl. "You!" she said pointing in Nathan's direction, "Leave! Now!" she yelled.

Dan Scott, not knowing that his son was behind him, thought Haley was speaking to him. "Me?" he questioned.

"No no no!" Haley tried to recover, "Not you, sir!" She defended pointing to behind Nathan Scott, but all Dan saw was Haley pointing at him.

Haley knew she was in trouble now and needed to get out of it fast, "Look, sir," she began taking a deep breath, "Because of me, your really big pot was smashed!" She spread her arms out wide trying to explain how big this "pot" was.

"Vase," Dan corrected. Who in the world called a vase a pot? Well, supposedly Haley James did.

"Uh right, vase! Um, I'm ready to pay for it?" Haley tried making it sound like a firm statement but it just came out as a question. "Um, so how much is it?"

All Nathan could do was silently laugh at the entire situation. There was seriously no other girl like Haley James.

"Now, that's not… I don't think… Deb, explain---" Dan tried to respond and explain that there was no way Haley would be able to pay for the vase.

"SHUT UP!" But Dan was interrupted by Haley's yell.

"Excuse me?" Dan questioned. Did this girl just tell him to shut up?

"This is all your fault!" What Dan failed to realize was that Haley wasn't speaking to him, instead she was currently scolding Nathan Scott, his son. Nathan's antics behind his father had gone unnoticed by Dan Scott, but Haley was witnessing everything.

"Because of me?" Dan questioned once again.

"OH!" Haley immediately realized that Dan thought she was talking to him "No no no, not because of you! Oh man this is going all wrong!"

Deborah Lee was on the verge of fainting. How was it that Haley James could mess up a simple apology? Brooke Davis who was invested in scaring the pants off of Lucas Scott couldn't help but crack a smile at her sister's antics. Haley would be the person that got herself into this kind of mess. And although Luke was trying his best to not seem afraid of Brooke, he couldn't help but also smile at Haley's misfortune. The one person who was truly enjoying this bizarre scenario was Nathan Scott, who was casually leaning on a wall and smiling big and wide.

"Sir," Haley cautioned, taking a step closer to Mr. Dan Scott, "My father always tells me that asking for forgiveness doesn't make one person better than the other, but the person who is able to forgive and accept an apology, they have a big heart. You have a big heart, don't you, sir?" Haley asked quietly.

"Now…." Dan couldn't really think of anything to say to Haley, so he offered her a smile.

"So do you forgive me?" Haley asked smiling wide and waiting for an answer impatiently.

"Yes yes" Dan said laughing slightly at Haley's antics.

"Ahh big business big people," Haley said laughing joyfully now that she had found a way to get herself out of a mess such as this one. Thank you so much sir!" She said wholeheartedly. "Please say hello to Mrs. Scott for me. Oh and you too!" Haley said in Nathan's direction which only caused him to smile even bigger. "Thank you so much again!"

Haley was saying all of this as she walking backwards towards the door, and as she turned around so she was facing the direction she was walking in, Haley James ran right into the glass table that was holding the vase full of roses. And as if it was déjà vu, the vase fell right to the ground as Haley's body impacted the table. CRASH! Glass and roses splattered all over the floor, and all that could be heard were the gasps of everyone in the room.

Haley turned around slowly, setting her back to the mess she had just made, and looked at Dan Scott with sheer terror in her eyes, "Ahhhhh!" she screamed slightly, this was bad. Why did things always happen to her? "The pot…..No wait, not the pot….the vase!" she cried.

"Deb, please…." Dan said signaling that it was time Deb took Brooke and Haley home.

"I am sooo sorry!" Haley screeched out, "The pot….No! I mean the vase! SORRY!" she cried over and over again. Deborah Lee escorted a hysterical Haley outside, as Brooke gave Luke one last look and ran after them. Dan chuckled to himself, and left the hallway followed by Luke.

Nathan Scott was the only one left in the hallway as he stared off into the direction where Haley was previously standing. "A pot, huh?" She was definitely one unique girl.

* * *

The sun was making its slow descent from the sky as Brooke Davis and her friends made their way around the streets of Tree Hill. Young Brooke and her friends had wandered far out of their usual stomping grounds and were laughing and chasing after each other, just having a nice time. Haley was busy working her shift at Karen's Café, and Keith was off working at the garage, so the ten year old girl was left to her own devices. Brooke Davis, being the fearless leader of her group of friends, decided that it was time for an adventure. So with juice boxes and fruit snacks in their hands, Brooke and her friends ventured out into the unfamiliar parts of Tree Hill. Brooke sucked the last remnants of liquid out of her juice box and discarded it into a nearby trash can. As she turned the corner of a street, she feasted her eyes on a park.

"Jackpot!" she said to her friends as they walked closer and closer to the park. Their eyes were going wild with wonder as they saw swings, slides, basketball courts, and everything a ten year old could want. "Come on! Lets go!" she commanded as she ran into the park followed by her friends. As the four playmates, comprised of Brooke and three little boys, started using the different apparatuses the infinite park had to offer, Brooke noticed a figure out of the corner of her eye. She stopped swinging on the swings, and jumped off walking closer and closer to this strange figure; the boys saw Brooke's movements and instinctively followed her. Their eyes followed those of Brooke's and saw what she was intently staring at.

"Isn't that the broody kid we were messing with?" Brooke Davis said with a knowing smirk on her face. Oh, this was going to be good.

Lucas Scott's round figure was shooting a basketball into a hoop at the basketball court section of the park. It was only his sole figure making a few shots here and there and missing a few.

"Come on! Let's go and mess with Broody some more!" Brook said as she and her friends sneakily made their way over to where Lucas was unexpectedly standing.

"Oye Broody!" Brooke said playfully as she was about to reach him, but as soon as the words came out of her mouth Brooke and her friends were surrounded. This time Lucas was the one giving Brooke the smirk and intimidating look. What Brooke didn't know was that the roles were now reversed. Lucas had previously entered a land where Brooke was queen, and now Brooke had entered a world where Lucas was king, and Lucas Scott had a lot of knights to protect his kingdom. All of Lucas' friends had surrounded the four children.

Uh oh, something wicked this way comes. Brooke surveyed her competition and quickly came to the conclusion that she was outnumbered, her eyes growing wide at the realization. She looked at Lucas, who was standing there with a little swagger in his step and quite the smirk on his face. There was no way Brooke was going to get out of this unscathed.

"These are the goons I was telling you about," Lucas announced to his friends, as they all spoke amongst themselves, looking at Brooke and her friends.

"Are they part of the mob?" One little girl asked innocently, hiding behind Lucas, scared for her life.

"No," a boy responded, "They're from the part of Tree Hill WE don't go to!"

"Ohhhhh!" Everyone responded understanding that Brooke Davis wasn't from the rich part of town like they were. Knowing that she didn't have the same luxuries that they had from birth. The class distinction was embedded even in the adolescents of Tree Hill. The better part of Tree Hill didn't socialize with the more middle class part of Tree Hill. It was the way things were from the beginning of time, and it was the way things would stay.

"Look at her clothes!" One girl screeched, "They're so dirty!"

"Look at her hair!"

"It's in pigtails, EW!"

"It's so oily!"

"She's so greasy!"

"She doesn't belong here!"

"Leave!"

"Leave! Leave! Leave!" Insults and derogatory comments were being hurled at Brooke Davis as she stood there trying her best to stand her ground, but failing miserably. The entire group was throwing mean words at her, and soon everyone had joined in on the 'Leave!' chant. She looked up at Lucas who was probably yelling the loudest and tears came to her eyes. Sure, she had made fun of Lucas herself earlier, but the things these kids were saying to her were just plain horrible, and she couldn't help but feel hurt. She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, Brooke was a strong girl, and she prided herself on that, but for some reason all these people telling her she didn't belong was making her cry. The tears were flowing down faster as the chants were getting louder. She looked around, hoping she could run away because she wanted to be anywhere else but standing there crying her eyes out. She looked around at the faces who were yelling at her and all she could see was disgusted looks. In that moment she truly felt inferior to all around her.

Lucas snuck a look at Brooke, but his happiness and chanting immediately stopped as he saw the tears rapidly flowing down from her eyes and onto her cheeks. All he wanted was for Brooke to get a taste of her own medicine, but from the look of absolute despair and embarrassment on Brooke's face, Luke knew he had gone too far. He tried quieting down his friends around him, trying to make the insults and the chanting stop, but nothing he did worked. All he could do was stare at Brooke as she stood there, broken, her head down and her body shaking from the sobs that were now overtaking her body. In that moment, all Lucas Scott wanted to do was take Brooke in his arms and hug her until she stopped crying. He wanted her to look up at him, so he could tell her how sorry he was, but nothing Luke wanted was working. He watched as Brooke slowly made her way through the crowd of children and ran out of the park. He looked down at his feet not being able to watch her and she was obviously running away from him. He closed his eyes as his friends started to disperse and were laughing at their success in getting rid of the 'poor girl.' Lucas couldn't help but feel tremendous guilt rack his body as he stood there, now all alone, on the basketball court, wishing everything that had just happened didn't happen.

* * *

"What?! And you didn't do anything about it!" Haley James screamed fuming. Haley stood towering over Brooke Davis in the living room of her home. Keith James sat on the couch having just heard everything that had happened to his youngest daughter. While Keith was relatively calm, Haley was pissed, really pissed.

"There were so many of them!" Brooke said defensively, not making eye contact with Keith or Haley. "I couldn't anything, Haley," she responded softly.

"Ah ha!" Haley began, turning her attention to her father, "You walk around here like you're some sort of royalty, but you couldn't do anything there!" Haley was furious. How dare someone say such horrid things to her Brooke, to someone she considered family. How dare these people insult her like that and make her little sister cry. How dare they!

"Haley!" Brooke whined. All she wanted was some sympathy or at least some empathy, but all Haley was giving her was a lecture.

"Haley!" Haley mimicked Brooke's whining.

Keith tried to intervene in his daughters' dispute, "I don't understand why she felt the need to go into that park and bother the boy like that."

Haley's eyes widened at her father's repute, "FATHER! What are you saying?!" Haley would only call her Dad 'father' if she was truly upset with him or if she wanted to make some sort of point. "She just wanted to go play in the park! It's not like she went out to murder anyone!" As Haley spoke more and more her anger was increasing, "Those kids had no right to talk to Brooke like that! If I was there, I would have truly given those kids something to yell about. Would've given a nice spanking to each and every one of them. They hurt my Brooke! Let me meet that fatty and his stupid idiotic older brother! Oh they think they're so great with all their money and that stupid big house with all those pots, or vases WHATEVER! Once I get my hands on them, they're going to run home crying to mommy and daddy!"

"Haley---" Keith James tried to stop his daughter's intense rant, but to no avail as Haley continued. What Haley James didn't know was that there was a reason her father was frantically trying to get her to stop. See, the two subjects of Haley's rant had just made an appearance in the James' residence. Actually, Nathan and Lucas Scott were standing in the doorway to the living room listening to Haley's entire scream-a-thon.

"Oh Dad stop!" Haley continued not wanting to hear any of her father's excuses, "They have all this money, but they don't have any heart, I tell you! I hope they rot in hell!" Haley said the final part as she was turning to make a dramatic exit, her turn caused her to realize that her rant had a two more listeners that she didn't know where there.

"Very nicely said," Nathan said smiling wide, "Did you write that piece by yourself? Working on an angry poem?" Referencing back to their first meeting.

"Yes!" Haley rebuked. Looking menacingly back and forth between the two Scott brothers.

In response to Haley's ever present glare, Nathan grabbed his little brother and swatted him on the head and called him and idiot, trying to give a white flag to Haley. "Good evening, sir," Nathan said politely to Keith James.

"Hello hello!" Keith said getting up from his seat quickly and walking over to his guests. "Haley, look now, they've come to our house for the very first time, let's give them something to eat," Keith suggested as he smiled down at Lucas.

Haley laughed quite loudly at this statement, "I think they ate before they came here, Dad," she stated giving Lucas a very strong and deadly glare, "Haven't you seen the size of this one," she said pointing out Lucas' obvious largeness.

"Naaaaathan," Lucas whined hiding behind his brother as Haley continued to growl at him.

"No no, sir, we've already ate. There's no need!" Nathan said trying to ignore the obvious tension in the room.

"Oh that's nonsense!" Keith quipped, "I'll get you something real fast!" he finished as he left the living room and headed toward the kitchen.

"No no, there's honestly no need," Nathan tried to stop Keith, but there was no stopping the man of the house.

Haley made her way to the couch, sitting there with her arms crossed glaring threateningly at the two Scott brothers. Brooke was standing in the middle of the room very awkwardly, not knowing what to do. She half wanted to sit next to her sister, but there was no telling what Haley would do when she was this enraged, so Brooke just stood where she was staring back and forth between Haley and the two Scott brothers.

"What's her name?" Nathan asked Lucas.

"Haley…." Lucas answered, looking at his brother as if he was moronic.

"Not hers, Fatty!" Nathan said as he swatted Lucas' head once more, "What's HER name?" pointing at Brooke, specifically, so Lucas wouldn't be confused again.

"Oh! Brooke!" Lucas said rather sweetly.

"Come on then!" Nathan said as he dragged his little brother to where Brooke was standing. Nathan kneeled down so he was face to face with Brooke Davis as Lucas stood between them, and Haley watched on from her position on the couch, "Hi Brooke," Nathan said softly.

Brooke looked up from the ground making eye contact with Nathan.

"What pretty eyes!" Nathan remarked trying to make Brooke smile, which worked instantaneously. Nathan smiled at Brooke's smile and turned his attention to his little brother, "Listen, don't ever hurt anyone's feelings or break anyone's heart, especially not a young girl's, and especially not one as pretty as Brooke over here."

Brooke's smile got wider at Nathan's compliments.

"Come now, apologize," Nathan said to his brother, but Lucas wouldn't have any of it, so Nathan turned his attention back to Brooke, "Besides, someone once told me that asking for forgiveness doesn't make one person better than the other, but the person who is able to forgive and accept an apology, they have a big heart. Isn't that right?" Nathan said the last part to Haley as she looked on still giving Nathan and Lucas a dirty look, but her features had softened at how well Nathan had handled the situation.

"What are you looking at Fatty!" Nathan scolded, "Go on! Apologize!"

"I'm sorry Brooke," Lucas said sincerely. He truly felt bad for everything that had happened that day.

"It's okay," Brooke replied softly, accepting the apology as well.

"Friend?" Lucas asked, his voice filled with hope.

Brooke smiled wide, "Friends!" she said excitedly.

Lucas leaned in and planted a kiss on Brooke's cheek, closing the deal of making friends, which caused Brooke to gasp in shock, but her surprise only lasted for a second as Lucas and Brooke both ran off into the kitchen wanting to see what food Keith had prepared.

Nathan made his way over to Haley who was sitting on the couch, a look of surprise on her face at Lucas kissing Brooke. Nathan laughed at Haley's facial expression as he took a seat very close to her. Haley's shock immediately returned to anger at Nathan's proximity.

"Hello," he said quite cheerfully.

"Hi." She said not quite cheerfully.

"So I was thinking, if those two can be friends, then why can't we?"

"You want to be friends? With me?" Haley asked turning her face to Nathan's slightly surprised at Nathan's proposition.

"Yeah," Nathan said smiling at her, and scooting over a little closer, "I just want to be friends with you. Is that a problem?"

"Really?" Haley asked suspicious of Nathan's motives.

"Yes, really, stop being so cynical," Nathan said laughing, "So, friends?" he inquired putting his hand between Haley and himself prepared to shake hands with her.

"Friends…." Haley said shaking his hand briefly before letting go quickly. She didn't quite like how friendly and close Nathan was choosing to get with her.

"So I wonder what your Dad is making for us to eat," Nathan said off handedly making Haley turn her head away from him.

"Oh he's----" but Haley was never able to finish her sentence as Nathan leaned in giving Haley a kiss on the cheek, similar to how Lucas had kissed Brooke. Nathan smiled widely as he got up from the couch and sauntered over to the kitchen, leaving a very perplexed Haley sitting on her couch. Haley squealed slightly from shock and put her hand on the spot that Nathan's lips were previously occupying. Oh boy. Her mind was racing as her eyes followed Nathan's retreating figure. Oh boy oh boy oh boy.

_The marker snapped and I yelled "Quiet on the set!"  
And then called "Action!"  
And I kissed you in a style that Clark Gable would have admired  
I thought it classic_


	10. Be Still My Heart

Thanks so much for the reviews and everyone who is reading!

Lucy - I love writing mini Brooke and mini Lucas! Writing little kids is a lot of fun.

So I'm really proud of this chapter, but at the same time it was my first time writing this type of scene between two people [you'll understand when you're done reading] so let me know how I did and what I should improve on so next time I know what to do!

* * *

**Chapter Ten – Be Still My Heart**

_The August sky will then bare witness_

_To a brand new chapter with torn up pages_

_When the planets align, I can feel the gates opening_

_To my courage_

_As I proceed to run my fingers through her hair_

_And forget everyone who's jaded, 'cause they don't matter_

_And I don't care_

"There's something wrong, Skills. Something fishy is going, really fishy, I tell you," Haley said as she poured a cup of coffee for a customer and handed him a piece of apple pie. Haley James was working today, and Skills Taylor was loitering at Karen's Café as he always was when Haley worked. As she was serving customers and taking orders and handling the café, Haley slowly but surely had relayed the story of her many encounters with Nathan Scott to Skills. She was hoping two brains on the subject would help her realize what in the world was going on. Ever since the night that Nathan had come over with his little brother to apologize to Brooke and make amends with the James' sisters, things were going absolutely haywire in Haley's head and surprisingly her heart. She had been replaying all of the meetings in her head, but the more she thought the more confused she got. This was always a problem for Haley James, her logic would get the best of her. Up until a few weeks ago, she had only heard stories about the Nathan Scott and the Scott family. Sure, she had some brief meetings with Karen, but they were only that, brief. All of the sudden, day after day, week after week, she was embarrassing herself in front of different members of the Scott family. It's was almost as if the world had decided to go all topsy turvy on her all the sudden.

Skills watched the internal battle going on in his friends' mind which was blatantly visible on her face. The entire time Haley had been relaying the story to him, Skills had noticed that she had repeatedly messed up several customers' orders, which was very much unlike the meticulous ways of Haley James. He could only cock his head at Haley's behavior; it was odd seeing her so unnerved by this Nathan Scott character. And there was only one conclusion Skills Taylor could come to as he thought about Nathan and Haley over and over again, "Haley, do you think he's…"

Haley turned to her friend, "What?" she asked eagerly wanting to know if Skills had the solution to all her problems.

"I think he's—" But Skills couldn't finish his sentence.

"Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking!" Haley said excitedly. Either Haley could read Skills' mind or she was definitely not thinking what he was. Skills could bet that it was most definitely not the former, but Skills decided to go with the flow.

"Really? You think that's it?" Skills asked hoping for once in their history Haley and Skills were on the same page.

"Absolutely!" Haley said confidently.

"So you agree with me don't you?" Skills said gaining a little confidence in the fact that maybe they did have the same thinking process. Great minds do think alike.

"Oh man Skills, you are totally on the right track," Haley said as she took a pecan pie out of the oven and placed it on the counter, "He's trying to get me fired from my job here!"

Skills put his head down the counter, there was no working with the girl. He was right, they were definitely not thinking the same thing.

"It all makes sense. The little rat wants to take my job away from me! But why would he want to do that? Do you think he wants to work here? Wait, why would he want to work here? He could probably work for his Dad right?" Haley rambled as she started cutting the pecan pie into slices.

"Haley!" Skills said finally interrupting Haley's monologue, "For the valedictorian of Tree Hill High, you're a moron."

"Wait, so he can't work for his father?" Haley asked confused.

"No!" Skills said frustrated with his best friend, "I'm saying that I think he might like you. You know like be attracted to you. You know like you like you!"

"What?!" Haley asked shocked at Skills' response.

"You know the thing that comes before love but after friendship. He LIKES you Haley James," Skills tried to explain.

"Like?" Haley asked actually taking the possibility into consideration before realizing what she was doing, "Mr. Taylor, what a MORONIC observation! Have all the girls in North Carolina died that he's thinking about liking me? I can't get a boyfriend in Tree Hill, and you think Dan Scott's son has a soft spot in his heart for me?"

"It could happen," Skills said whimsically.

"Yeah, alright. You keep drinking that fruit punch you're drinking," Haley said ignoring Skills' smirk and returning to her work.

Skills Taylor could only laugh at his friend's stubbornness and sarcastic nature. He watched as she turned her back to him and started taking the order of a new customer. Skills returned to his work as well. He looked at the piece of paper staring at him. In front of him sat a survey of sorts for Skills to fill out so the Virginia Tech could find the best roommate for him. This was one of the last forms Skills would have to fill out before him going to Virginia Tech was certain. As he tried to continue filling out the survey which asked him when he liked to sleep and what kind of music he listened to, his mind drifted off. Skills couldn't help but think about his best friend's last statement. It was true Haley had never had a boyfriend before. There were dates here and there, a few kisses, but nothing serious in her love life, if one could actually call it that. The only boys that were constant in Haley's life were himself, Fergie, and Junk. Skills knew that Haley's main priority was her academic work and taking care of her family, but for the first time he began to realize exactly how much his best friend had given up for the sake of those two things.

Skills stared at his best friend. In a completely platonic way, Skills thought about how beautiful the girl standing before him was. She wasn't a bombshell or a pin up of any sorts, Haley was more of a classic beauty. As his thoughts continued to drift he thought about how this Nathan character had taken such a liking to his best friend. Haley was wrong, it wasn't out of left field. It actually made a lot of sense. Haley was one of the most intelligent people he had met, and on top of that she had the biggest heart he had seen. She had her quirky habits and she was pretty silly and passionate about certain things, but there was a down to earth aura about his best friend which no one could ignore. The more Skills Taylor thought about it the more he wondered why Haley James hadn't gotten a guy sooner.

Skills was jolted out of his thoughts as the telephone rang. Haley quickly finished handing over a wrap to a customer as she made her way to the phone and picked it up.

"Karen's Café! We cater now! From birthdays to weddings, any occasion!" She said cheerfully into the phone.

"Don't you think we should get engaged before we talk about weddings?" Nathan Scott smirked into the telephone. He was the one calling Karen's Café and he sure was glad that Haley James was the one that picked up.

"Who is this?" Haley asked confused, not recognizing the voice through the telephone line. Skills became intrigued as he watched Haley's facial expression change into one of bewilderment.

"Who? It's me, who else?" Nathan wittily answered.

"Me who?" Haley asked getting quite frustrated with this man on the phone.

"What do you mean who? It's your new friend," Nathan finally gave in, enjoying the torture way too much for his own good.

"Oh!" Haley said realizing it was Nathan. She quickly signaled to Skills to get closer to her and the telephone. Skills did as he was told and leaned over the counter standing as close to Haley and the phone as possible so he could hear the conversation that was taking place.

"You see, the kids made some plans to go to a fair," Nathan began saying as he paced back and forth in his room. Lucas Scott was giggling in the background as he sat on Nathan's bed and watched his brother talk on the phone. "I was just thinking that you could join me and the kids, of course, at this fair," Nathan finished. Lucas laughed at his brother's antics.

Skills also couldn't help but laugh at the phone conversation. This Nathan Scott was quite the smooth operator.

"What fair?" Haley asked genuinely intrigued.

"The annual Tree Hill Fair by the harbor, of course!" Nathan replied.

"Oh wow!" Haley answered completely shocked, "This fair? If you come to this fair its reputation is going to skyrocket." Haley James knew that the likes of Nathan Scott wouldn't be found dead near the Tree Hill Fair. There was always some high society function to attend, so why would he want to skip out on those?

"Actually," Nathan began, his smirk growing ever bigger, "My reputation would skyrocket if you decided to accompany me to this fair." Lucas almost broke out into a fit of giggles at Nathan's line. His brother had quite the way with the ladies.

Haley was completely speechless at Nathan's response. Skills looked to his best friend with his own smirk. This was definitely an 'I told you so' type of moment.

"Tomorrow, four o'clock at the fair. I'll see you there," Nathan finished knowing he had gotten her, "Bye."

"Bye…" Haley whispered into the phone, not fully comprehending what had just happened.

Lucas Scott started outright laughing at older brother as Nathan hung up.

"Oye shut up!" Nathan said as he pushed his brother on the bed as he walked past him.

At Karen's Café, Haley was staring at the phone, trying to figure out what that phone conversation was about.

"So you've got a date tomorrow huh?" Skills said laughing.

"Shut up!" Haley said swatting his shoulder.

"I'm leaving before you leave any bruises!" Skill said as he grabbed his housing forms and walked out of Karen's Café, "Haley James has a daaaaaaaaaaaaate" he sang as he made his way onto the sidewalk.

Haley James stood, leaning on the counter, intently staring at the phone. A date? With Nathan Scott? No, that didn't sound right at all. She was thankful that no new customers had made their way inside the café because she couldn't bring herself to do anything except think about what was currently going awfully awry in her life. She let her mind wonder a little into unchartered territory. What if he did really like her? Haley felt herself smile just a little. She would never admit it out loud, but Nathan Scott had made quite an impression on her. He was nothing like she had heard or imagined. He wasn't a snob and he wasn't pretentious at all. He was actually quite a character. He annoyed her. God, he ANNOYED her, but she couldn't help but like the encounters she had recently had with him. Plus, he was extremely handsome. She couldn't help but be captivated by his eyes. She hadn't yet figured out what color they were. Sometimes they'd be green, sometimes blue, but they were beautiful nonetheless.

As the bell rang, signaling the entrance of a customer, Haley was knocked out of her deep thoughts about a certain raven haired boy. She scolded herself for thinking such stupid thoughts. He was after her job she kept on repeating to herself as she walked to the cash register and began taking an order. He was after her job. He was after her job. He was after her job. He was after her heart. He was after her heart. He had her heart. No! He. Was. After. Her. Job.

* * *

It was a beautiful day for a fair. What used to be Tree Hill's Harbor, was now grounds for the annual Tree Hill Fair. Within the first few days of summer, the fair would come to town and take over. All of Tree Hill's families would find themselves at the fair at least once. Kids would flock together in groups, planning out which rides to go on and when and what foods they were going to eat in what specific order. Summer romances would begin as boys took girls to the fair and on the ever romantic Ferris Wheel. Parents would spend a lot of money buying tickets to rides and the animal farm as well as the music performances. Everyone who was anyone would make an appearance at Tree Hill's Fair, except for those who lived on the outskirts of town. These were the wealthiest folks of Tree Hill who would not be seen dead at this fair. It was too beneath them.

But here was Nathan Scott, breaking convention and walking around the fairgrounds with Haley James. Nathan looked in front of him seeing his brother, Luke, walking with Brooke Davis and her friends as they chatted away about god knows what.

"Say it come on say it!" Brooke demanded. "Say 'How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,  
and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood.' Please!"

Lucas looked helplessly at Brooke who only giggled, "You know I can't!"

"You're no fun!" Brooke said as she looked around her and spotted the Ferris Wheel ride. "HALEY! Can we go on this one! Can we?" She asked excitedly.

Haley smiled wide at Brooke and nodded her approval as Brooke, Lucas, and the others ran off to get in line for the Ferris Wheel. Nathan and Haley found a bench to sit on as they waited for the kids to finish with the ride. So far both Nathan and Haley were having a good time. There were a lot of awkward moments, but overall their time together had been filled with laughter and teasing and an ongoing banter. Nathan would joke about there being no broken 'pots' making this outing a success for Haley, while Haley would bite back with a witty comment of her own.

"So you're not going to college next semester?" Haley asked offhandedly. Since they had spent the last two hours walking around talking, Haley and Nathan had gotten to know a lot about each other. Nathan discovered how Brooke became integrated into the James family, and Haley heard several stories about Asheville.

"Nah, I'm going to take the semester off, and start in the spring at Duke University," Nathan was supposed to be a freshman in college, but he had decided he would spend a semester at his father's side helping with the family business before he shipped off to school.

"Basketball scholarship?" Haley asked, assuming that's how he was going to Duke.

"Uh huh, no way I would have gotten in with my crap grades," Nathan joked. "Plus it's a family tradition. All Scotts go to Duke."

"You better do us Duke Fans proud, mister, you'll get a lot slack from me if you don't give your all on the court" Haley joked.

"Does this mean we'll be keeping in touch when I go to Duke? And does this mean you're going to be watching the games for me?" Nathan said raising his eyebrows at her.

All Haley could do as blush slightly in response, but she gained her composure and responded, "I'll only be talking to you if Duke wins!"

Nathan laughed at Haley's attempt to cover up the reactions he got out of her, "And you're not going to school either?"

"Yeah, I'm probably going to end up taking classes at a local community college or something while I work and make some more money. Who knows maybe I'll be able to actually afford Stanford at some point in the future," Haley mused.

"All the way in California huh?" Nathan questioned "I guess I'll have to invest in sleeping late so we'll still be able to talk." Nathan winked at Haley, loving the way her cheeks would turn the slightest shade of pink and how her eyes would grow wide and her eyebrows would raise higher and higher at each comment he made towards her. He had been doing it off and on the entire time, but he could never get tired of the effect he had on her.

Haley turned her head away, praying her ears would stop burning from all the blushing she was doing, "Oh I love this song!" She said as she tried to change the subject. Regina Spektor's _On The Radio_ had just started playing on the loudspeakers. Haley began singing softly along, something she did out of habit.

"You have a beautiful voice," Nathan whispered to her.

Haley immediately stopped singing, tucking her hair behind her ear out of nervous habit, "Thanks," she replied softly.

"I heard you sing that one time; you were singing that song about my Mom's café. Did you write that yourself?" Nathan inquired.

Haley turned her head to him in shock. She hadn't known anyone had actually heard her singing, "You…you….you were there? You heard that?" She asked shakily as deep ocean eyes stared at her.

"Yeah, I guess I was being a creeper, but it was a beautiful song and you really have a voice," Nathan said genuinely.

Haley nodded her head, accepting the compliment quietly, she didn't know how else to react to it. Actually, she didn't know how to react to anything that Nathan was doing today. The compliments the one liners, everything was throwing her completely off. And try as she might, she couldn't contain the beating of her heart as his arm would brush up against hers or as he would turn and look at her directly as if he was looking straight into her soul. She couldn't stop the butterflies when he would blatantly flirt with her.

"You know what I find funny," Haley said trying to stop her thoughts from going wild and trying to get the subject off of her, "That both of our father's birthdays are on the same day!"

Nathan could only grin at Haley's excitement over the littlest of matters, "Kind of like they're twins huh?"

"Yeah, except, one has a really big heart and the other has a big wallet!" Haley laughed loudly at her own joke, "Ahahaha, it was a joke, get it?"

"Very funny." Nathan deadpanned.

Haley looked down at her feet feeling an awkwardness take over their conversation. She went to put up her hair into a pony tail, but was stopped by a hand holding onto her wrist.

"Don't do that," Nathan said as he sat closer to her, "You look really pretty with your hair down like this," he said slowly putting her hands down for her and running his hands through her hair "Leave it."

Haley was looking straight at Nathan now and they were closer than ever before on that bench. She could feel his hand running through the length of her hair. She felt tingles go up and down her spine at the contact, and she couldn't help but like the feelings he ignited in her. She continued to stare at him as he continued to stare at her. As Nathan slowly moved his hand away from her hair, Haley was immediately aware of the situation she found herself in. She turned around frantically, looking for any reason to get away from him.

"Bracelets!" Haley yelled relieved as she quickly got up from the bench and Nathan's staring eyes and ran towards a stand which was selling bracelets.

Nathan sat there for a second watching her as she left, "Bracelets?" he said grinning to himself as he too made his way over to the jewelry stand Haley was occupying herself with.

Haley quickly started perusing the jewelry stand, desperately trying to calm down her heart which was beating a million miles per second. She was afraid if Nathan got any closer to her he would hear how hard her heart was pounding out of her chest. She pretended to be semi interested in the vast assortment of jewelry that was currently staring at her, but all she could think of was Nathan Scott and his gorgeous smile. Damn him for being good looking. Damn him! She could hear him sauntering up behind her as she feigned being interested in some green bangles.

"So are we picking out a bracelet for you? For Brooke?" Nathan asked as he too started looking at the variety of merchandise that was being displayed.

"WE, aren't doing anything," Haley said sharply, trying to stop from stuttering and giving away her nervousness.

"I personally like this one," Nathan said as he picked a funky looking bracelet one. It looked like it had come out of cracker jacks box. It had all these cute multi-colored charms on it. There was a blue heart, a red teddy bear, a red umbrella, and a yellow airplane, among other things. It was all held together with small white beads and then bigger purple beads. He fingered it and played around with it as he asked the vendor how much it was.

"Okay this is getting way too weird!" Haley said suddenly, "Now listen to me Mr. Scott, I need to tell you something," she said as she tried to stand straight and confident in front of him.

Nathan turned to her slowly holding the cute bracelet in his hand and smiling, "I'm listening." He leaned in closer to her and down to her level.

Haley pushed him away from her slightly, not wanting him to be too close, "You see, the thing is that, well, okay, look!" Haley was getting way too frustrated, "I can't give you what you want!"

Nathan's playfulness turned serious, "Why not?" he asked genuinely wanting to know why.

"I…I just can't!" She said indignantly.

"Well, can't you try?" Nathan asked hopefully.

"No no, I can't. My family…I need to take care of my Dad and Brooke…" Haley said looking down at the ground and shuffling her feet awkwardly.

"I can talk to your Dad about it!" Nathan said firmly, thinking he had found a loophole, "Plus I think Brooke likes the idea."

"Why would Brooke like the idea of you stealing my job from me?!" Haley screamed. "Why would she want you to get me fired?!"

"Job? What job?" Nathan asked taken aback. They were obviously not thinking or talking about the same thing.

"My job at Karen's Café!" Haley said as if it was the most obvious thing ever, which it was to her, but not to Nathan Scott.

"But, I wasn't even talking---" Nathan tried to figure out exactly where the confusion had set in, but was having a hard time figuring it out himself.

"Look, the friendship thing was all nice and stuff, but if this is only a ploy to get me out of a job well then no!" Haley said putting her hands on her hips and standing firmly in front of a very tall and a very perplexed Nathan Scott.

"Shhh!" Nathan said suddenly grabbing her arm and pulling her closer to him. All Haley could do was get lost in Nathan's stare. She was transfixed in that position. Nathan was looking down at Haley as she was looking up at him. Her left arm was being held by Nathan's right hand as he placed a finger on Haley's lips to quiet her down.

"Friendship isn't everything, Haley," Nathan said barely above a whisper, "There a lot of other relationships formed between people." He picked the bracelet up from its spot on table, replacing it with the money amount the vendor had previously told him. He picked up the bracelet, still grabbing onto Haley's arm and started to slowly put the bracelet on her. "Other relationships, other bonds, that we don't understand, that we shouldn't understand," he said looking deeply into her eyes. The bracelet had barely passed her fingers, and was on its way down to her knuckles. "I hope I'm not hurting you," he said smirking slightly as he continued to role the bracelet down Haley's hand. "Bonds that are never given a name, bonds that are only to be experienced not to be described because usually it's indescribable." Nathan had now rolled the bracelet down to her palm, "Am I hurting you?" he asked not removing his stare from hers. Haley shook her head slowly, barely moving as he got closer and closer.

"It has no limits, no boundaries, no walls," Nathan continued as the bracelet was reaching Haley's wrist, "Am I hurting you?" he asked again. This time his lips were mere inches away from Haley's and this time Nathan's proximity was causing her to not move at all.

"These relationships, Haley James, they deal with the heart, they deal with love," he said this as he let the bracelet fall into place around Haley's small wrist. Haley gasped; the bracelet had pinched her skin a little and her only reaction was to gasp.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked bending down even closer to her, his lips only centimeters away from hers.

All Haley could do was shake her head yes, completely immobilized by him.

"Me too," he said smirking, "Don't say I never gave you anything." He finished leaning in close to her ear and whispering so only she could here.

Nathan's breath tickled Haley's ear and neck as she shrugged her shoulder turning away from him and attempting to leave his grasp, but Nathan would have none of it. He had Haley James right where he wanted her, and this was going to be his only chance to get everything out, "And one more thing, I'm going steal your job Haley James."

Haley turned to him slightly shocked, slightly unable to do anything as everything that had just happened to her and with her felt like a dream. She stared at him searching his face with her own eyes, trying to read an expression off of him.

"But that's not going to be the only thing I end up stealing," he said finally letting her go and smirking.

Haley giggled slightly, looking at him one last time and then looking down at the bracelet that adorned her wrist. Suddenly, Haley felt raindrops falling on her head and all around. She looked up at the sky to see the heavens opening up and the clouds pouring rain all around. Her gaze landed on Nathan who was getting wet very quickly as the rain was coming down fast and hard. She locked her eyes with his, both of them entranced and both of them forgetting that the rain was pouring hard all around them.

Nathan stepped closer to her, as she had stepped back a little when he had let her go, "And I think," he said as he moved even closer, closing the gap between them. Their bodies were touching completely, Nathan's face closer to hers than it ever as before, "I'll work on stealing that heart of yours….now."

And as soon as Nathan finished his sentence, his arms went instinctively around Haley's waist as he picked her up slightly and his lips met hers. All around them people were running for cover and trying to get out of the rain, but Nathan Scott and Haley James were the only two people who were barely moving. Nathan's wet lips met Haley's soft ones as she slowly began returning the kiss. Her arms slowly made their way around Nathan's neck, as they both continued kissing each other. Their lips moving in perfect unison. The rain poured down on them as they continued standing in each other's arms kissing each other deeply. Haley's feet were barely touching the ground as her hands combed through Nathan's hair, and Nathan's grip on Haley tightened as he pulled her closer to him. And they stood there in this embrace and in that kiss like they were the only two people in the world and nothing else mattered. Because really, in that moment, nothing did matter.

_'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do_

_Nothing to lose_

_And it's you and me and all other people_

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_


End file.
